Bloodlust
by perennialparadise
Summary: Set during the aftermath of the battle between the Cullens and Victoria's army of newborns. Victoria emerges victorious, and the Cullens are all dead. Bella is devastated, but her thirst for revenge eventually convinces her to join forces with the Volturi in order to hunt Victoria down. There, she meets Demetri, the world's greatest tracker, and also key to her revenge.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

She had welcomed death. After all, death would've been more merciful than living with the knowledge that everyone she'd loved had perished, their thousand-year future (as Edward had promised, 'forever') extinguished in the blink of an eye. The immense physical pain had rendered her mind foggy, but the memory of their deaths – Edward's, the most of all – had remained, burnt into the back of her mind, promising to haunt her for as long as she lived.

If she lived. And she did not intend to.

After Victoria's newborn army had wiped out the majority of the Cullens, Victoria had forced her to watch as she ripped out Edward's head; forced her to watch as the crimson flames devoured the remains of what she'd come to know as family; forced her to watch their ashes scattered and dispersed in the wind. Her reason to live had dissipated along with their ashes, and Victoria had cackled at her tears.

"This was how I felt when they killed James," She had hissed, her grip on Bella tightening. "And they killed him because of _you_."

Victoria had mutilated her, body and soul. With all the gashes on her upper body, and a diminished will to live, she should have perished, but yet here she was, teetering on the thin line between life and death, but still very much alive. Humans were fragile, weren't they? It shouldn't be long now.

With that assurance, she closed her eyes. She prayed that it would be the last time she opened them.

~.~

She was thirsty. She was _very_ thirsty. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she was _this_ thirsty.

She jerked upright at the realization, eyes flicking open and focusing quickly on the mud-coloured brick walls around her. A fly buzzed away happily, ten feet away from her, its turquoise shell complete with intricate patterns of bubble-shaped –

Wait, she could hear three ants, scurrying away beneath the marble flooring. She could see every single pebbled, uneven blemish sticking out of the mud-coloured brick walls like a sore thumb. And she could smell –

She could smell the thick, delectable scent of blood. It permeated the air, ensnared her senses, rendering her so, so, so…

 _Thirsty_.

"You are awake."

She spun to the source of the sound, and a mountainous man with cropped, black hair came into view. He was at least 6'5'' tall with a muscular body and a slight olive complexion which looked odd combined with his chalky pallor. But it was his eyes that stood out the most of all. It was a dark crimson red so piercing it pained her to look at it.

She couldn't help but think he looked familiar.

His thin lips curved into a smirk. "You look good, immortality suits you."

And just like that, reality hit her like a sword to her heart. She had wanted death. And she had gotten it. But it was not the restful nothingness that she had hoped for, and instead, an immortality that imprisoned her in a meaningless, yet never-ending lifetime of regret and grief. There was no doubt about it: She had been turned on the verge of death. By whom, for whatever reasons, she did not know. She did not care either. She could not live without Edward; without the Cullens; without Jacob. She was better off dead.

The man uncorked a small vial of blood. She could smell it even when it had been in the pocket of his dark robe. "Here," He said. "You need to feed."

It took everything it had in her not to snatch the vial out of his pale fingers. Every cell in her brain screamed 'BLOOD'.

"Tell me," She replied instead. Her voice felt raspy, like it hadn't been used in a hundred years. "Who are you? Why are you helping me? Why didn't you let me die?"

Again, another smirk of his. He placed the vial down on the wooden table beside her. "Pity you don't recognise me." He said. "I did take a liking to you the last time we met."

His composed marble form, alongside his billowing black cloak, triggered a distant, distasteful memory from her past.

She was up on her feet, her vampire reflexes forcing her into a defensive position. "You're from the Volturi," She bit out. The lack of blood was starting to get to her. Her head spun. "What do you want?"

"Is this how you repay people for saving your life?" He replied, clearly amused. "Perhaps we should have let you die."

"You should have." Her grip on the bed rail tightened. It made sense now, and she hated it. "You should have let me die! Why did you interfere?"

He frowned, clearly not expecting such a reply. "We entered the battle site after the Cullens were defeated to clean up the mess that Victoria made. And you were the only remotely alive thing on that battlefield. You claim you seek death, but you lived – even with 28 incisions on your upper body, you _still_ lived."

She stilled herself. Perhaps it was not the Volturi that turned her after all, but Victoria's venom.

"Clearly, you had been left for dead," He continued. "You had lost too much blood. The turning should have finished you. Most of us thought you wouldn't survive, but we could not take the chance. We could not risk the possibility of a newborn running amok without a master – "

"But I lived," She groaned. She eyed the blood vial with loathing in her eyes, and then at him. "You could have easily killed me. Finished Victoria's job. The Volturi are not known to be merciful. What is your ulterior motive?"

"Very clever. Sharp as always, Bella. You are right, we need you. Alive." He cocked his head to the vial, red eyes alight. "So please feed. Aro would like to speak with you later."

~.~

Edward had tried to kill himself before, when he believed her to be dead. It was ironic how there was a reversal of roles now. It was like Romeo and Juliet, just that she was now currently a vampire and thus almost impossible to kill. Drowning, poisoning, falling from great heights – she was immune to all these now. Edward had known that. He had taunted the vampire royalty, knowing that that was one of the only ways for a vampire to go.

And here she was, standing in their midst. With even less of a reason than Edward to live when Edward attempted to expose himself to the people of Volterra. It would be so easy to give them a reason to kill her – she would just need a small one. The Volturi loved killing. It was in their blood.

She levelled her gaze at Aro, and then Caius, sitting on right-hand side of Aro's throne. Could she die from emptiness? She felt like she could, but it would be a long and painful process. She wanted to die now. A quick death sentence, an eternity of numbing nothingness – she wanted that now.

"I demand you kill me."

Caius's lips curled into a sneer. "I believe you are in _no_ position to make any demands."

"Come now, Brother Caius," Aro said soothingly. "Our dear Bella has been through quite a lot."

Not enough for the Volturi guard to stop flanking her everywhere she went. Even now, two drifting, waifish dark cloak figures trailed closely behind her. If only they knew that she was too exhausted, too devastated to fight or escape.

"If you don't kill me," She declared, loud and clear. "I will hunt and kill a human a day on the streets of Volterra."

Days ago, she would have cowered in The Volturi's presence. She didn't know whether it was the shedding of humanity or embracing of death that extinguished all fear of them.

Jane hissed at Bella's threat and stepped forward, her red eyes glittering with spite. Caius rose to his feet in both anger and shock at Bella's outright defiance.

"My dear Jane; my dear Caius, do _stand down_ ," Aro commanded with a wave of his hands. He looked straight at Bella. "We are not here to fight. We are here to discuss an alliance."

Bella frowned at that. She was a newborn vampire, a weak one at that. What possible alliance could The Volturi want with _her_? With Edward, she understood, but with _her_ …

"Victoria has raised an army of newborns, which you of course, are well aware of," Aro began. "As long as Victoria's army lives, our secrecy is at high risk. Her newborns do not live by the vampire laws that govern us all, and some witnesses tell me that they have spotted immortal children in their midst."

"It's simple," Marcus continued. "I believe you long for revenge. Is it not in your favour to join us in our hunt for them?"

She remained silent. Marcus was wrong. She felt numb. It wasn't revenge that she longed for, it was death. Unlike Victoria that thirsted for revenge, Bella knew that revenge wouldn't bring Edward back.

"Why me?" Bella whispered. "It all makes sense, but why me? In this room stands the most skilled vampires in the world. There is simply no need for me."

Aro shook his head and gestured to another member of the guard, draped in a dark ebony robe. He was more beautiful than the rest of them (if possible), with an olive complexion, short frosted brown hair, an aristocratic nose fit for a king and a cutting jawline sculpted from chalk-coloured marble. He stood at around 6'3 feet tall, his body hard and lean as the blade of a sword. Bella instantly recognised him. Judging by his dark and dangerous aura, Bella knew that this was none other than Demetri, the greatest tracker of his time.

"You met Demetri, have you not?" Aro said. At that, Demetri's beautiful burgundy irises fixed themselves on her. "A legendary tracker. He can pick up the essence of _anyone's_ mind and then follow it over any distance across the world to hunt them down. Victoria and her army, of course, are our highest priority as of now. You came into contact with Victoria during your battle with the newborn army. With your permission of course, may Demetri pick up her flavour from _you_ r mind?"

Bella felt that there was no harm in allowing Demetri to do so. She _wanted_ the Volturi to destroy Victoria and her newborn army, she just didn't see a purpose in living after that was accomplished. But something still didn't click in Bella's mind. Technically, Demetri didn't need her permission to pick her mind. Since when did the Volturi seek permission for something they wanted? She didn't need to be a mind reader like Edward to know that Aro wasn't letting her in on everything just yet.

But her desire for revenge was overwhelming, exactly like the scent of blood to a newborn like her. Without much hesitation, she nodded.

Aro nodded towards Demetri. Demetri stalked forward and circled her predatorily, eyeing her like a hawk eyeing a squirrel.

Then he frowned. He squinted again. Another frown.

He turned to Aro. "Nothing," He declared, clearly puzzled. He glanced at her curiously. "I cannot detect her mind. It is as though she does not exist." His voice was deep and soothing, like liquid honey, to the ears.

The rest of the guard stared at her in shock. Jane grimaced, balling up her fists at her sides. She glared at Bella, her red eyes contorted in furious concentration. Bella was reminded of the last time Jane had tried and failed to attack her with her power of illusionary pain. She was currently attempting to attack her again, to no avail. Was it a coincidence that Demetri's power had failed to work on her as well?

Aro merely stared at Jane's immense concentration and smiled.

"Ah, as expected," Aro said, clapping his hands in glee. "A hypothesis I wanted to test out. It seems like you, dear Bella, have been gifted with a defensive power far greater than any that I have ever seen."

Most of the members Guard looked uncomfortable with the revelation. Others stared at her in disbelief.

Marcus looked to Aro, slightly startled. "Does it mean that she renders all our powers useless?"

Aro nodded. "As you recall, even as a human, I could not read her mind. Now, turned, I believe her power extends further than that."

The Guard turned back to Bella, observing her unblinkingly. She felt a bit uncomfortable. She had to get used to being around bloodsuckers.

"So you want me to join your _collection_ ," She concluded distastefully. Jane flinched and again attempted to attack Bella with her illusion, to no avail. "And if I refuse? Will the consequence be death? Will you finally give me what I want?"

Aro didn't reply. It dawned upon Bella that Aro, being who he was, would never let her leave or die for that matter, now that he wished to collect her gift. The Volturi had saved her for that reason and that reason alone. She had to get out of here.

It was impossible, judging by the dozens of black, waifish shapes floating around her, but if Aro was right, at least their powerful gifts were rendered obsolete with her.

Without warning, Bella slammed her arm into the guard on her right. She recovered quickly, her vampire adrenalin kicking in, allowing her to spin-kick the other on her left. They fell away from her, and Bella took a second to appreciate how much stronger she had become.

Then the Volturi's defensive drill kicked in. Renata immediately flew in to block Aro, as practiced. Jane and Alec glared at her, clearly in deep concentration, trying to incite some form of discomfort. Felix and Demetri flew at her at the speed of light, incarcerating her in half a millisecond.

"Stop, stop," Aro commanded from his post atop the platform. Demetri's iron grip remained tight around her throat. He was truly a piece of marble. "My dearest Bella, you have to listen."

She grimaced, clawing at Demetri's cool hand. The pressure of his grip intensified, his thumb forcing her chin up to an uncomfortable angle. The subtle act in itself was a deadly warning. He would have no qualms beheading her if she moved.

Aro shook his head and lowered his inverted palms. Demetri's grip loosened with that silent instruction.

"Your lovely sister, Alice – she predicted this. She predicted that you would want to leave, perhaps to end your own life – and she said, to tell you this: 'Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.' You are alive, dear Bella. Live. Edward and the Cullens, they would have wanted you to live. Avenge their killers with us."

Bella's head snapped up. Her mind was whirling. Her head hurt. How did he… How could he… have echoed the exact same quote that Alice had said to her the night before the battle? She had used the exact same words. How…?

"You lie! How could you have known...? You read her mind, didn't you? Why would she tell you this? WHY?" She accused immediately. It was a defence mechanism. Nothing made sense. Perhaps she needed more blood if she wanted to think harder.

Aro folded his arms. "She had an extraordinary gift. She could see things that might happen or were coming as an outcome of someone's decision. She knew they would perish, and that you would live. During your last visit here, Alice let me in on this."

Bella could almost feel tears on her cheek. Vampires didn't cry, but maybe she would be the first one that did. Her voice shook as she spoke. "So Alice knew… of course she would… But if she did, why didn't she save herself? Save them? She could have prevented it, so why didn't she?"

"That was the only path she saw. After Edward killed Victoria's mate, that path was set in stone."

"You're lying. You could have helped, after knowing our fate. Why didn't you?"

Aro smiled. "Your brilliance never fails to astound me. You are right in there being another path. But through Alice's mind I saw the outcome of the second path. If the Volturi had joined in the fight against Victoria's army, I would have lost half my Guard. Her newborn army, though unskilled, has several debilitating gifts."

"Instead of half your Guard," Bella gritted her teeth. "I lost my whole family." Vocalizing this made the pain more unbearable. She wondered if Jane's pain inflicting ability could be more brutal than this. But something still didn't make sense to Bella. "What makes you think you won't lose half your Guard if you go after Victoria now?"

Aro grinned. He looked completely unfazed by the deaths of all her loved ones, as expected of a manipulative, unfeeling bastard. "Because we have you," He said. "Alice predicted that your defensive shield could be projected upon your turning. Victoria's newborns' gifts will have no effect on us."

Bella glared at him.

"Ah, you look positively lovelier when you are angry. Alice wanted you to live, my dear child. Is it a coincidence that she said those exact same words to you? She wanted you to join us, exact revenge, and live."

Bella knew this to be true. Aro was one manipulative motherfucker, but in this aspect, he was right. Alice wanted her to find a new purpose in life, and live. A new purpose could include serving the Volturi as a member of the Guard, but Bella knew it didn't matter what the purpose was to Alice, as long as that purpose enabled Bella to live on.

But Bella knew one thing for sure. If she was going to heed Alice's last request to live, she would do so with a purpose of her own.

She would find Victoria and her army of newborns.

And she would behead every. Single. One. Of. Them.

~.~


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Perhaps it was a good thing that vampires didn't sleep, as Bella would have been plagued by an endless string of nightmares if she had. That didn't stop her from thinking of Edward though – his tousled dark brown hair, beautiful golden eyes, and the feeling of his cool lips against hers. And that in itself was a daylight nightmare.

Most of the Guard kept a distance from her – like they did with Jane, probably still perplexed by her odd gift and less likely out of fear. Only Felix and Demetri spoke to her. They were probably commanded to by Aro, as they saw to her physical combat and projection training respectively. Occasionally, Jane (albeit reluctantly) turned up to help facilitate her shield projection training. Bella knew, as did everyone else, that Aro intended for Bella to become another in his array of perfect weapons, as was Alec, Jane, Chelsea and Demetri. She was past caring about this. Perhaps it was because of Alice's message, or the weeks that blurred into days and slowly began to dull her pain, that she no longer desired death, but revenge. Alice had requested that she live, and revenge gave her a reason to live.

If Aro's training allowed her to better exact her revenge, she would gladly go through it.

She started towards Demetri, his darkened outfit a stark contrast to the marble pillar he was standing next to. He watched her with curious red eyes. He always did – as if he still couldn't decipher why his 'all-powerful' gift had no effect on her. Two weeks ago, she would've felt uncomfortable, but she had grown used to such behavior ever since then.

Upon her arrival, he courteously sought after her hand, bringing it up to his lips before pressing a ghost of a kiss to her knuckles. She instantly recoiled from his genteel display like a terrorized cobra, a scowl rippling across her features. The sensuous touch of his lips lingered upon her knuckles, and she vehemently scrubbed at it with her other hand as though it were a stain to be cleansed.

 _Ugh_ , not again! Seriously, this wasn't the goddamn 17th century where personal space was merely the stuff of fantasies. Could he not?

When his inquisitive eyes glowed with amusement, Bella realized she'd unconsciously uttered the last three words of her internal monologue aloud.

"I suppose I should be offended," He remarked. "But instead, I find myself thoroughly amused." When Bella's scowl deepened, his lips curled into a half smile. It was almost too beautiful to behold. Perhaps vampire's were fallen angels of age old. "Where I come from," He explained graciously, "Exchanging a mouth-to-mouth kiss was a customary form of greeting."

Involuntarily, her gaze fell on his beautiful lips. She turned away quickly, hoping that he'd not caught her in the act.

Judging from the irritatingly smug look on his face, he probably had. She felt the urge to wipe it off.

"I wouldn't be surprised if a flu bug killed you. Swapping spit with every person you meet tends to spread diseases," She muttered brusquely.

He seemed scandalized by her accusation. He was of the Volturi, ancient and powerful; to even conjure up the thought of him perishing because of a common cold (brought upon by a once-celebrated custom of his) was mortifying in itself.

"I most certainly did _not_ die from a cold," He almost snapped, jumping in to defend his dead custom. "And contrary to your belief, we did not kiss _everyone_. They were reserved for upperclassmen, family members and friends."

"Where you come from, is gawking customary as well? Because you keep _staring_ at me."

He raised a refined brow at her mean-spirited observation, but otherwise seemed to handle this better than the 'disease' implication."Forgive me," He said, slipping back into his polite demeanor. "It is just… unusual that I cannot pick up a thing from your mind. It never ceases to enthral me."

Her chest tightened in pain. _Edward had said the same thing to her when they had first met._

She tried to ignore the agony that clawed at her insides. "Well, I suppose you have to get used to that." It took a moment for a realization to hit her. "Wait, if you can't well – I don't know, read me – and I'm the only one who encountered Victoria here, how are you going to track her down?"

He inclined his head, and Bella realized that his jackal ears were in fact, quite cute. She balked at that realization, thanking the heavens that her mind was well shielded.

"You do not have to worry about my job. I do it very well. You should worry about yours."

It sounded like a veiled threat. It perturbed Bella a little because she had been performing well the past two weeks. Usually, it was a rabbit or a dog that she would shield from Jane's torture. And to Jane's ire, she had succeeded almost every time. She was quite sure that her 80% success rate was mostly owed to her desire to piss Jane off even further.

Today, there was no furry animal in Demetri's hands. She wondered what he had planned for her.

"Today," Demetri said. "We will be heading to the catacombs."

~.~

The catacombs were almost as grandeur as the Volturi's dwelling place. Bella supposed that a perk of an ancient city like Volterra would be its fine architecture. Intricately carved cinnamon brown pillars stretched from floor to ceiling, it's gold engravings chronicling a story of their ancestors. A marble plaque hanging from the ceiling's fine arch was engraved with an Italian word that Bella did not understand. The sienna stone floor beneath her feet opened to a spacious walkway. That was when she noticed the sombre iron grills ahead, flanking both sides of the walkway. As the natural light dimmed as she raced on behind Demetri, her vampiric eyes automatically adjusted to the darker conditions of the chamber.

She realized that the grills were at least 3 inches thick.

This was no catacombs, this was a dungeon. As if to prove her point, grey cloaked guards flitted around her, watchful eyes tearing into her.

"You brought me to a dungeon," Bella pointed out. "Why?"

Demetri did not bother to reply. He had stopped running. An extremely pungent smell hit her instantly, sending her stomach reeling. It reminded her of _wet, dirty dog fur._

Jane was beside him. She had probably been here for a while, judging by her impatient scowl. Bella realized that she was not the only one affected by the putrid smell, seeing how Jane had scrunched up her nose in disgust.

On the other hand, Demetri's expression remained neutral, betraying no discomfort whatsoever.

When Jane's large child-like eyes met Bella's, her doll lips curled into a sneer. That was probably the closest thing to a smile that Bella had seen on her face. She wondered what had lifted Jane's mood.

Demetri turned to face the iron grills on her right. A low growl resounded from behind the grills, echoing in the dungeons like a disgruntled war cry. Sandy coloured fur and oversized paws swam into Bella's view. A large Mexican Wolf, the height of a fully grown human, angled itself menacingly towards her. A thick iron collar and multiple foot-chains held it in place.

Bella's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

It was Seth.

And he had somehow survived the battle.

~.~

"SETH!" She had shrieked. "Oh my God, Seth! It's me! Bella!"

The wolf's lips curled back into a snarl, displaying a menacing array of razor-sharp canines. His eyes betrayed no form of recognition.

Eyes which were blood red.

 _But Seth's eyes were honey-brown._

She was one hundred percent sure he was Seth – she could recognise his wolf form from miles away, but yet at the same time, his eyes… They were not _right_.

It unnerved her deeply.

But perhaps she was overthinking this. Did it matter that his eyes bled red? He was still Seth, alive and well, and standing right before her. She gripped the iron bars tightly, a tidal wave of emotions threatening to sweep her off her feet.

"Oh Gods, Seth, how did you… how did you escape? I thought they killed everyone." Her voice broke, the unspoken words lodged in her throat. _I thought I was alone in this cruel world._

Cool hands gently grasped hers and pulled them away from the iron bars. It was Demetri's. He stared at her, his hard gaze devoid of any emotion. Bella met his gaze.

"Tell me," She fired at him. "Tell me, Demetri, how long was he here? Where did you find him? Was it on the battlefield as well?"

Jane's doll lips curled into smirk. "In the aftermath of the battle, Demetri and I were dispatched to track down and eradicate any remaining newborn survivors that had yet to rejoin with Victoria's army. Your mutt friend attacked us on the battlefield before making a sorry attempt to escape. I think you know who we are, so you must know that there is no point in resisting us. We contained the _mutt_ faster than he could even blink."

Bella tried to not to give in to Jane's provocations, but it was difficult, seeing how skilled at it she was. Almost as skilled as she was at inflicting pain.

"You should have heard him whimper when I incapacitated him," Jane taunted. "It was quite pathetic. But you know what, lucky you, you'll get to hear it again today."

Bella stepped forward menacingly and Jane stepped backwards. "What does she mean?" Bella demanded, a bad feeling blossoming in her chest. "Demetri, tell me now! What does Jane mean?"

Demetri's God-like face was too composed, it was extremely unnerving. "It is simple, Bella. Project your shield over 80 yards and protect Seth. If not, he experiences excruciating pain."

"YOU'RE CRAZY!"

Bella attempted to attack Demetri, but he side-stepped it casually, as if avoiding a dirty puddle of water, and not a punch. Whimpers erupted from the iron grills, and Bella turned, only to see Seth convulsing with excruciating pain. Bella immediately switched her target to Jane, who retreated quickly. Demetri grasped both her hands with his own and flitted forward, before slamming them above her head. The force shattered bits of the pillar. Even with Felix's training, she was too weak to take on an experienced fighter like Demetri.

"80 yards. Protect him," Demetri simply said. "Jane is not particularly fond of holding back. He might perish if subjected to prolonged exposure."

Bella realised that the fear of the Volturi – a fear that she had thought she had shed, was back. Because someone she loved had suddenly existed.

She wasn't above begging. Not if it was for the last of her living kin.

"Please, Demetri," She implored. "If this is about getting back at me for mocking your kissing customs-"

"Rest assured," He cut in, sounding shocked that she'd even thought to bring that up. "I am not that petty."

"I can't do 80 yards." She insisted again, louder this time, her speech a jumbled amalgamation of desperation and unintelligible words . "How about 50 yards? We've been only practicing 30 yards."

Seth's whimpering worsened, reverberating off the iron chamber. Jane seemed like she was having a hell of a great time. Bella wanted to cry, even though it wasn't anatomically possible. "Please, I really can't, please," She cried. "Demetri – "

For a split second, an emotion resembling sympathy flickered beneath Demetri's composed mask, before disappearing completely. He looked her in the eye.

"You can do it, Bella. You _can_. Now, focus."

There was no bargaining with the Volturi. There was no bargaining with heartless beings. She should have learnt that by now. Jane was right – there was no resisting them.

Bella knitted her brows, trying to block out the whimpering as she mentally estimated the iron grill that Seth was located beside. Thanks to the straight-cut walkway, she could see that there were approximately 750 iron grills that her shield would have to cover. She concentrated on pushing the misty concave outline outwards further, and further, and further…

100

200

300

400

500 iron grills…

It was beginning to drain her. She hadn't gotten past 50 yards the last time with Demetri's rabbit. What made her think she could do so now?

 _Because Seth._

Edward's convulsing form came back to her – when he'd stepped in front of her to take Jane's punishment for her. She had been helpless then, as helpless as she'd been when she'd watch her loved ones die.

"How miserable it must be," Victoria had cackled. "To be a weak little human. To be helpless. To have to stand by and watch everything you love _die_."

But Victoria was wrong. Bella wasn't helpless anymore.

She gritted her teeth and pushed, neglecting the sharp, insistent pain in her skull. It probably didn't hurt as much as Jane could hurt Seth, so she pushed harder.

600

700

730

735 iron grills…

Her vision was swimming. She didn't know how much longer she could stand for. At least Demetri was still holding onto her, or she would've crumpled.

740

745

750

760

And her vision turned black. Demetri caught her before she hit the floor, and she struggled to regain her footing.

"That is enough," Demetri commanded. The whimpering had stopped, and Jane had appeared beside him. Besides Victoria, Bella had never hated someone as much as she hated Jane. She hated her so much that it physically hurt her to stand in place and not kill Jane instantly. She hated Demetri too, because clearly, this had been his idea all along.

To think that she had considered him one of the better members of the Volturi. She had perceived him as a polite and enigmatic individual, charming even, but she had been wrong. Did the word 'better' even exist when it came to describing the Volturi? Probably not. They were all the same. Cold, calculating, ruthless bloodsuckers, with a knack for manipulation, torture and killing. Like the rest, Demetri was a devil who wore the face of an angel, and she would do well to remember that.

But while Jane's soul was clearly beyond redemption, Bella had harboured a small hope that Demetris soul was. Perhaps she was wrong.

"Why?" She wanted to know. "Why did you do this?"

He stared back at her unflinchingly. "You needed motivation. As your progress stagnates, Victoria grows her army by the day."

"Why are you so cruel?"

He countered her question with another. "Why is the world so cruel? Why do the strong survive, and the weak get rooted out? The Cullens died because they were weak. Would you like to follow in their footsteps?"

It felt like a slap to her face. "They lost because they were outnumbered by Victoria's army," Bella bit out. "They weren't weak. They were kind, and they were strong."

"And yet, they did not survive," Demetri replied. "They perished because of their _kindness_. After executing James, the Cullens spared his mate, Victoria and his companion, Laurent. Was this not what led to their undoing? The Volturi tie up all loose ends. I would have hunted them to the ends of the earth. _I_ would have prevented this war."

His words stung because there was some truth to them.

"Vampirism is built on the foundation of this _so-called_ cruelty that you _loathe_. We thrive on human blood – blood that you stubbornly _refuse_ to touch."

She flinched at the accusation. How had he known? She had made sure to empty the vials of blood that they had brought her, and instead had fed on the furry animals that Demetri had used for her training.

"You are wondering how I knew." His blood-red eyes locked with hers. "The crimson in your eyes dim with each passing day. Could it be that you have adopted the same acute sense of morality that led to the Cullens deaths?"

"I don't see a link between the two," Bella whispered. Could he stop using them as a punching bag?

"Human blood makes us strong," Jane interjected. "There is no substitute for that. By refraining from human blood, the Cullens suppressed their gifts and fighting abilities. _Those fools killed themselves_."

Demetri nodded. "Human blood is our food source - a means of survival. Tell me this, is a lion cruel for hunting a deer?"

"Well... no," Bella replied hesitantly. She still refused to accept this, but her memory of Dimitri's superior strength when he had slammed her hands into the stone wall hammered at her resolve. "But it still feels wrong – "

"Is the food chain wrong? There is no right or wrong, Bella. There is only the strong and the weak, survival and death."

Bella had no reply to that. She'd thought that by living with the Cullens, she had understood the ways of the vampire world. But as Edward's beautiful golden eyes swam into her mind's eye, offering a stark contrast to Demetri's piercing crimson ones, she realized that they were in fact worlds apart.

"Shed your weakness, Bella. Helplessness is not befitting of you."

~.~

The aroma of fresh human blood wafted through the air, ensnaring her senses. She was extremely thirsty. It had been awhile since she had last fed. Ever since her training with Seth, Demetri no longer brought furry mammals into compound. Bella could not leave the compound either as members of the Guard were not authorized to leave the compound unless permitted to - for good reason - by the Vampire Generals. Leaving to hunt was definitely _not_ a good reason. The Volturi's personal Fisher, Heidi, saw to their meals, bringing in groups of tourists every now and then for them to dine on. Bella had refused this. She had sustained herself on pigeons for the past two days, but it was impossible to sneak out to hunt for larger animals with the Guards watching her every move from the side lines.

Probably courtesy of Demetri's influence.

It was obvious that he intended to starve her into cooperation.

And it was working.

She was too hungry to think. Her legs, reacting to the smell of blood, jumped to life, bringing her closer to the source of the blood.

She found it quickly.

The human corpse – a young foreign man, lay at the centre of the pentagon shaped stone platform. Felix stood beside him, having a conversation with another female vampire that she could not recognise. The female vampire's beauty was exceptional and beguiling. She had enchanting eyes, and waist length brown hair that framed her perfectly heart-shaped face. She was truly a sight to behold in her figure hugging red dress, complete with a set of black leather gloves.

Both ceased conversation and turned to Bella.

Felix smiled knowingly, as if expecting her. He waved to his female companion beside him. "Bella, this is Heidi."

Heidi inclined her head towards Bella politely. "Nice to meet you, Bella."

Bella nodded back. She couldn't muster a response. Her thoughts were consumed with that of quenching her pressing thirst.

Felix seemed to realize that. He gestured to the lifeless corpse beneath him. "Care to join me?" He asked with a wink. "You arrived at the right time as Heidi here has just brought me my snack."

She had teleported beside the corpse in the blink of an eye. But Felix's incisor markings at the corpse's neck stopped her cold.

Two weeks ago, the human had been her. And the markings had been Victoria's.

Felix seemed to sense her hesitation. "Go on," He egged with a small smile. "I am not saliva conscious."

"You know it's not that," She replied quietly. She turned to Felix accusingly. "This is Demetri's plan, isn't it? This is _all_ part of his plan, and I am just a pawn who has been cornered into doing his bidding. He is a monster who gets his way all the time, isn't he?"

Felix let out a short bark of laughter. "Do not take it personally, Bella. Demetri is ruthless out of necessity. He does not enjoy it."

Heidi smiled. Her smile more beautiful than an entire galaxy of stars. "Felix is right. In all honesty, I find Demetri quite an admirable character. He keeps all our enemies in line with his fearsome reputation."

Felix pouted. "Why do the ladies always fancy him instead of me?"

Heidi laughed and rolled her eyes. Her laughter sounded like the tinkling of a dozen bells.

"I thought Jane's reputation was the most fearsome," Bella stated. "Most vampires fear the burning pain she inflicts." The memory of Jane torturing Seth still gave her shudders.

Felix raised a brow. "What is the point of Jane, or even Alec, if our enemy cannot be found? Demetri is our assassin. An assassin who never fails. He hunts down all our enemies, no matter where they run; no matter where they hide. _He_ is the reason why the others fear us. He promises a certain death to anyone who dares to cross us."

His eyes met Bella's. "So, Bella, tell me this. Do you _dare_ to cross him?"

Bella lowered her eyes. Demetri had Seth, for God's sake. She knew with a sinking feeling that he was simply using Seth to keep her in line. Her trainings with Seth were not merely trainings. They were also warnings. Warnings that explicitly detailed Seth's fate if she refused to comply.

Edward had mentioned once that this was a common tactic used by the Volturi to exercise control over their members.

"No," She decided. "I do not."

 _But I will when I am stronger._

She decided that like the Cullens, she would be kind. But unlike them, she would do so from a resolute position of power.

And with that, she lowered her lips onto the corpses neck, letting the tangy, thick stream of blood slide down her throat.

Felix smiled.

~.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

With the appearance of Seth, Bella thought less about Edward and more about Seth - his uncharacteristically calculating red eyes; his animalistic snarl. It hadn't made sense at first, and it still didn't, but with every secret night visit to the dungeons, she was becoming more and more certain that this was no crazy hallucination of hers.

This was not the Seth that she loved.

The Seth that she loved would not have yanked at his chains in an attempt to launch himself at her and tear her apart.

There was someone, _something_ inhabiting her friend's body. Bella had noticed a pattern recently. During training sessions (which had recently become sparser and shorter), whenever Jane inflicted her torture upon him, Seth's eyes had flickered a humanoid brown, but the red had devoured the brown swiftly as soon as the effect faded. Her Seth was in there _somewhere_ – of this, she was certain.

And _ironically_ , Jane's torture seemed to be key in bringing him back.

~.~

Sometimes, in her free time, Bella practiced wrapping her plastic-bag-like shield around passing members of the Guard, switching targets rapidly as they flitted by. They gave no indication that they felt the presence of her shield. Other times, she let her shield descend on the compound like a massive translucent giant dome, expanding and shrinking the dome to the rhythm of a hummingbird's wing beat.

She was born to be a vampire - this she knew in her bones. Felix had been right. _Immortality_ suited her. She was a natural at physical combat, and shield projection was becoming as easy as breathing was to a human being.

If only she'd had her powers during the battle with Victoria's newborns. If only she'd shielded the Cullens. If only… If only Edward had lived.

He would've been proud of her. He would've been so proud of her strength, her dexterity, her power. He would've looked into her eyes and –

Seen the red in them.

He would've been disappointed. He would've been disappointed that she had turned into the monster he'd believed himself inevitably becoming.

She steered her mind away from those thoughts and entered a brightly lit chamber. It looked like a chamber plucked right out from the Roman Empire, its columns reminding her of those in the Pantheon and its marble table littered with intricately carved roman figures.

Demetri looked up upon Bella's arrival. His slender, pale fingers were sprawled across a world map laid open at the centre of a circular marble table. Bella noticed for the first time that his silver ring bore the sigil of a scythe.

 _He promises a certain death to anyone who dares to cross us._

The scythe of a Reaper.

It was extremely fitting. He was a picture of Death. With blood red eyes, and a cloak the colour of darkness, Bella thought that all he was missing was a scythe - and he would be the perfect Reaper.

It was ironic that an evil like Death wore such a beautiful face.

"You are here," He simply greeted, his attention diverted from his work to her. He did not attempt to kiss her hand anymore. "How is your training with Felix?"

"He kicks my ass slightly less," Bella replied truthfully. Felix was a legend when it came to physical combat, and she imagined that it would take either three full-grown vampires to incapacitate him, or… perhaps one Jane.

Demetri cracked a small smile. "It will shock me if the outcome is any different. But he tells me that you are improving extremely quickly." A pause. "Tomorrow, the leaders meet to discuss if it is time to go to war with Victoria."

Bella perked up at that. She had been waiting for this moment.

"I need a favour, Demetri," She requested, attempting a polite smile. That in itself was difficult with the memory of Seth – or _not-Seth's_ – torture still fresh on her mind. She hoped the smile didn't turn out as a pained grimace. "I need you to bring Seth along to the meeting. Chained or not, I need him to be there."

"And I am obliged to help you… because of?" He angled. "Your stunning grimace?"

Shit. So it had turned out as a grimace.

"It was a _smile_ ," Bella snapped. She tried to think of a reason why Demetri should help her, but nothing surfaced. She'd had a skeletal structure of a theoretical game plan (based on an educated hunch) in mind, but she had conveniently left out the beginning part of getting Seth an audience with the Vampire Generals.

She decided to go for the threats.

"Or... I won't shield you during the battle."

She winced at how meek her threat sounded.

He almost laughed. "Even if what you have suggested is not treason, I have survived centuries without a shield. I believe I will be just fine."

She wanted to slap herself in the face. Yeah, that's right Bella, threaten to _not_ protect the world's most fearsome assassin. What a _frightening_ threat – he must be quaking in his boots.

"I will not help you, Bella," Demetri stated curtly. He paused, before continuing – more compassionately this time, "It is for your own good. When the Generals find out about Seth's _condition_ , they will execute him immediately."

Her eyes widened upon hearing that. "You knew that – How? Do you know what has happened to him?"

"I have a hunch," Demetri nodded his head in agreement. "He does not recognise you – in fact, he attempts to attack you on sight. His eyes are not the humanoid eyes of a shapeshifter's, but crimson red. It reminds me of a vampire's."

"So you're saying that Seth is _possessed by a vampire_?"

"I am _guessing_ ," Demetri corrected, looking slightly peeved at her incredulous tone. "That this vampire has the gift of warging." At Bella's frown, he explained, "It is the ability of entering the minds of animals and controlling them. Not unheard of - but Seth is a shapeshifter, which makes this case an unusual one."

"So you're saying," Bella rephrased slowly. "That there is a vampire controlling Seth."

" _Guessing_ ," Demetri re-iterated. "Bearing false witness is punishable by death."

Bella rolled her eyes. Who even cared for such specifics?

As though reading her mind, Demetri snapped, "It is _law_. Bearing false witnesses, false promises – are all punishable by death here."

"So you are _guessing_ ," Bella continued, purposefully emphasizing his favourite word, "that Aro will realise that as well and execute Seth to prevent that – _that_ _vampire_ from spying further?"

He nodded. "Yes, that vampire – probably one of Victoria's - has been spying on the Volturi through Seth's eyes. He now knows of your survival, and worse still, your gift. It disadvantages us greatly."

"But there is nothing more to learn," Bella whispered. "Seth is caged in the dungeons all day. We no longer train with him. The vampire can no longer learn anything more." A thought came to Bella's mind. _So that was why they had stopped training in the dungeons._

"Do you think the Generals will take those chances?"

It was a rhetorical question. She didn't bother to respond to it because the answer was crystal clear. Aro would have Seth executed immediately. What was one shapeshifter's life compared to the Volturi's secrecy?

To the Volturi, nothing. To her, _everything_.

She didn't feel good leaving Seth possessed like that. What if one of the Guard members found out and reported this to the Generals? Or if Demetri decided to betray her? Seeing his track record for cruelty, it was likely.

And Seth would die.

"I have a theoretical game plan," Bella said. When Demetri raised his eyebrows, she quickly added, "I mean, it's based on a hunch, and it totally might not work, but..." She paused, trying to recall if there were any upsides to the plan.

There weren't.

~0~

"A competition?" Jane snarled. "You think you can win?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "I _know_ I can win."

Jane scoffed. "Your delusion is cute," She mocked. "But I have better things to do than to play childish games with a newborn. And amid this… _stench_ too."

"What better things?" Bella egged. "You mean, torture puppies?"

Instinctively, Jane tried to deploy her crippling powers on Bella, only for it to falter against her mental shield. That only seemed to fuel her anger further.

"You know what's better than torturing puppies?" Bella continued snidely. "Shapeshifters." She looked Seth dead in his crimson eyes, and for the first time, she was close enough to notice the fear pooling in his eyes. Good. The vampire was scared. Could it be that her hunch was right? That the vampire shared a mental link with Seth's wolf form?

Jane immediately turned her attention to the chained wolf, attacking him with the fiercest intensity she could muster. Bella shielded Seth easily, smiling as hundreds of blunt-end needles rained down upon her shield.

"Seems like I've won," Bella taunted. "Maybe you should go back to torturing your puppies."

Jane snarled, pressing at her mental shield with heightened intensity. Bella laughed. "That's all you have? Come on, at least give me a fight."

The hundreds of blunt-end needles intensified to thousands of blunt knife stabs, and Bella wondered for a moment if that kind of intensity could kill a vampire. Or Seth. Perhaps she had pushed Jane too far.

She couldn't afford to hesitate now. Pushing back her qualms, Bella willed her streamer-like shield to slowly unravel around Seth. Seth's anguished howls began, but yet Bella continued – untying her shield like a ribbon. The wolf's howls were almost too painful to bear, but still she forced herself to continue, tearing away at her shield like a savage dog until there was nothing left.

A battle of colours raged in Seth's eyes – red and brown. But now, the red seemed to be gradually fading out like a dying lamp.

The vampire now bore the full brunt of Jane's wrath. Bella wondered how much that hurt. Did it hurt as much as she did – having to watch Seth writhe on the ground like a dying fish?

The seconds that dragged by felt like hours. Questions slammed into her like a spray of bullets. Should she end this here? Perhaps, she'd been wrong about the mental link. Perhaps there was another way.

And then a more desperate, irrational thought. _Perhaps she could convince the Volturi to authorize Demetri's mission to destroy this vampire, without somehow revealing Seth's condition._

Yes, that would be better. If Seth died because of her, so would her will to live. She would never forgive herself if–

The red disintegrated into a honey-brown.

Bella's snapped her shield back into place, protecting the brown-eyed Mexican wolf with everything she had. The wolf's humanoid brown eyes reflected initial disbelief, which was quickly replaced with recognition and immense relief. Tears pooled in his eyes, and for a moment, Bella thought she could hear Seth's familiar boyish voice in her head.

 _Thank God you're alive._

She fell to her knees, hand cupped around her mouth.

Jane took it as a sign of her victory. "I win," She declared with a snarky smile.

Seth's golden-brown eyes met hers. Bella smiled. "No, _I_ win."

And before anything else could be discussed, the wolf morphed into a tanned boy with shaggy black hair. The chains, now oversized, slid off his lean body, and clattered against the marble floor.

The boy fainted.

~.~

They had switched Seth's cell to a more human-like one. He had a simple sofa-bed now, but he remained separated from her by the trunk thick iron bars. She had stood outside the unconscious boy's cell day and night, until Demetri had eventually let her enter the cell. She was often accompanied by Demetri himself, and sometimes, other reluctant members of the Guard. Occasionally, Jane tagged along, but only to remind her that her shield had been too weak to protect Seth.

But one day, while Demetri stood guard beside her, Seth's golden-brown eyes finally flickered open. Bella reacted by hugging Seth, while Demetri reacted by nearly decapitating the poor boy. It was conventional assassin instinct, Bella guessed, but it still nearly stopped her heart for a second time. If that was possible.

"What a warm welcome," Seth joked, struggling to sit upright. His ebony hair was a tousled mess.

Bella grasped his hand in relief. Seth winced. "That kind of hurts, Bella." His laugh was boyish, familiar. Like nothing had changed between them. "So you're a vampire now, huh? Is it true that we smell bad to you?"

Bella shook her head, although he did. Her throat was choked with emotions. "I thought… I'm so glad you're alive Seth. I just really…" She swallowed. "I don't know. I thought you guys all left me."

"I thought I lost you too," Seth whispered. He smiled tearfully. They hugged again, this time longer. She hadn't realised how much she missed this feeling – feeling loved, until now. Had she really believed she could live on without this?

Demetri looked so uncomfortable that it was rather hilarious. Bella wondered offhandedly if he had ever loved somebody.

Someone like him?

 _Probably not. He was not a character with weaknesses._

Bella turned her attention back to Seth. "So it's just us against the world now," She whispered, though she was pretty sure Demetri had heard that. That was the problem with vampiric hearing.

"It's not just us," Seth revealed. "The pack, they lived."

Bella stared at him, at a loss of words. Her chest swelled with happiness. Could this day get any better?

"I mean almost all the pack," Seth babbled on. "Jacob, Leah, you know the usual. Victoria spared them – "

"Because she intends to use them as weapons," Understanding laced Demetri's words. Both Bella and Seth glanced towards Demetri, who had spoken for the first time.

Seth nodded, looking a bit frightened now. Bella could hear his heartbeat quickening. "There's a vampire. His name is Joel. He has a strange gift - he can control us when we are in wolf form. Initially, he controlled me because he wanted a spy in the Volturi. But when he found out about you and your gift, he wanted to kill you. I could feel his urges and I was so scared, Bella, but I couldn't get out. His will was too strong."

A target over her head wasn't new to Bella – James had hunted her before. But a target over her head because people _feared_ her power? That was definitely new.

Seth swallowed fearfully before continuing, "Victoria intends for him to control the rest of the pack. She has imprisoned the rest of them, and she's going to use them in the battle against the Volturi."

"How do you know all this?" Demetri questioned, eyebrows drawn.

Seth pointed at his forehead. "Because I'm communicating with my pack right now, even as we speak." He broke into a cheery smile. "They're extremely elated that you're alive, Bella. Especially Jacob. We all thought…" His voice broke off. "You know."

Bella smiled. Of course, the Quileute tribe's telepathic connection! How could she have forgotten? Bella had believed that Seth's consciousness would've allowed her to shed more light on Victoria's army, but now that the Jacob and the rest had also lived, through Seth, they basically had a canine intelligence force at their service.

Demetri seemed to realise that as well. "What else do they know of Victoria's army?"

Bella glared at him. "My turn first. Queue, please." She turned to Seth, her face grim with determination. "Can you tell them – the rest of them, that I will save them? Tell them that I won't give up until I find a way."

Seth nodded before clapping his hands. "Done. Oh yeah, and Jacob says to tell you that they're fine, you don't have to worry."

Demetri sighed. "That is a moving declaration indeed, but can we _please_ cut the theatrics and focus on the facts?"

"Is anything even moving to you?" Bella retorted.

"Not when it gets in the way of _my_ work."

"Sorry if my whole family _dying_ , and me attempting to reconnect with my last remaining kin gets in the way of your work."

Seth laughed at that, his eyes crinkling into the shape of a crescent moon. "Guys!"

And for the first time since she had awoken to porcelain white skin, Bella laughed. It felt good. Her comment wasn't funny really, but one look at Demetri's peeved face alerted her to fact that she'd been so annoying that she'd completely disintegrated his practiced expression of indifference. _That_ was funny.

"Okay, so… What else do they know of Victoria's army?"

~.~

A large metallic dial marked the center of the raised platform. Three magnificent thrones, embellished with flecks of gold and topped with golden spikes, sat atop the dial. The thrones were adorned with beautiful, circular headrests, a large unique precious stone embedded into each one. Sapphire blue, ruby red, and emerald green - Bella recognized that each stone represented a King - Marcus, Aro and Caius. Behind the thrones, a colossal, vibrant painted glass window peeked out from behind a pair of inordinately designed handwoven silk curtains.

The three Kings sat atop their thrones, listening to Bella's recollection of Seth's condition. Bella couldn't help but notice that Caius's outfit was particularly diverting today. He had topped his bright-red turtleneck tee with an obsidian-black blazer, completing his look with a burgundy scarf woven from the pelt of his enemies - werewolves. He looked utterly gothic with his snow-white hair and crimson-red eyes, and the deathly glare that he was currently pinning her with fit in well with his whole look.

Bella couldn't help but feel like a tiny fly in the presence of three Venus flytraps, all who seemed determined to swallow her whole.

After stroking his silver pendant for what seemed like eternity, Aro spoke at last. "Ah, but lovely Bella, do tell me this: How can I verify your candour?" He arose from his throne, descending the recrystallized calcite stairway at human speed. "Your story sounds like a tall tale - farfetched and unimaginable, and I am simply unable to read your thoughts."

"Then will you read Seth's thoughts?" Bella pressed, stepping closer to Aro. This was far more difficult than she had anticipated. "And Demetri's?"

Caius sneered from atop his throne. "Do you expect a Volturi King to touch the hand of a mutt? He should be removed, lest he infects us all with his stench!"

Seth looked like he was about to explode in anger. Two guard members restrained him as he attempted to break free.

"Ah Caius," Marcus drawled. He sounded bored with this meeting. "Perhaps you are too rash. I believe that there is some truth to this story. If what Bella says is true, we do have quite an advantage."

Aro seemed to be deep in thought. He was a good mix of Caius's scorn and Marcus's indifference, putting him right on the fence.

After a moment of silence, Aro beckoned for the Guards to bring Seth over. "Very well," He said. "Come over, shape-shifter."

When Seth approached, Aro touched his hand fleetingly. Bella wondered if the Volturi truly viewed shapeshifters as lepers. It certainly looked like they it. Granted, shifters smelt bad, but body odour wasn't exactly contagious.

After a moment of two, Aro's eyes sparkled with maniacal delight. "Ah, interesting, very interesting." He gestured for Demetri to approach. "My dear Demetri?"

Demetri complied, face impartial as he took Aro's hand.

Aro's lips turned downwards as he let go of Demetri's hand. The change in his expression was rather theatrical. He would've made a great actor. "Ah, it saddens me…" Aro trailed off. "That you plotted against me. I doted on you and allowed you almost free reign, and yet you choose to conceal information from me."

Aro's 'sadness' seemed to have no effect on Demetri. "You would have executed him on sight," Demetri repeated, even though Aro had probably already seen that. "Killing its host does not eradicate the warg – it simply finds a new one. It would have been a needless death."

Aro frowned. "You would risk the Volturi's secrecy for a _needless_ death?"

"I believed that the shapeshifter had information on Victoria's army." Demetri added. "I believed that the warg was bound to release the shapeshifter. Possessing him no longer served much of a purpose, with the shapeshifter imprisoned in the dungeons. But alas, I was wrong. The reason Joel held on was not to spy. The newborn's poor acumen led him to hold on with the fragile hope of killing our only shield, Bella." He paused. "But Bella discovered a way of forcing him out, as you saw for yourself. And now, we have obtained the intelligence we need."

Bella rolled her eyes. Of course, Demetri and his ulterior motives – they always came together as a package. Would it hurt him to do one decent, sincere thing?

Aro shook his head mock sadly. He sounded like he was chastising a child. Demetri's features remained impartial. "My dear Demetri, has the extensive power I have bestowed upon you goaded you into believing that you can override my decision?"

Marcus touched Aro's hand. "Ah Aro, I sense that Demetri's loyalty to you remains unwavering in its strength. I have reason to believe that he did what he believed was right."

 _For the Volturi._ She thought. _Always the goddamn Volturi._ Bella glared at the beautiful vampire who seemed wilfully oblivious to her burning gaze.

Marcus's assurance seemed to pacify Aro for now. "The shapeshifters say…" Aro's hawk-eyes fixated themselves on Seth. "Victoria has gathered close to 50 vampires, mostly newborns. According to them, five of these vampires have devastating gifts."

There were a couple of uncomfortable glancing amongst the Volturi Guard. Granted, most of these newborns were untrained, but that was nearly double the number of the Guard.

"I cautioned you," Caius hissed. "I cautioned all of you about the consequences of _waiting_. We should have obliterated these _miscreants_ weeks ago. We are biding our time like weaklings, and with every day, we lose respect from the masses."

"Weeks ago," Marcus corrected Caius. "Bella was not ready. Without her shield, we would have suffered more losses."

Aro nodded in agreement. "Brother Marcus is right, Volturi lives are precious." When Caius attempted to argue with that, Aro raised his hands to cut him off. Caius shut his mouth, but his trademark scowl remained etched on his features.

"There is more," Aro announced. "The warg intends to use the six shifters against us."

"We must kill the warg," Bella said. "To even out the odds." Several Voltui members nodded, Alec being one of them.

"Ah, this!" Aro clapped his hands gleefully, like a little kid who'd just received candy. "I saw your plan in their minds. Will you be so kind as to articulate it for the rest to hear?"

Bella nodded. "The warg leaves Victoria's camp to look for animals to inhabit for spying purposes. He usually takes Leah with him when he does. My friend, Jacob – he will inform Seth. Accompanied by Seth, Demetri can hunt him down and kill him when he is alone."

"Seth or Leah will penetrate Victoria's fort. Victoria's vampires will allow them to pass as they are used to the warg's animals patrolling the site. They will free the rest of the Quileute pack. And before they realise that anything is amiss, we would've surrounded their fort."

"Ah, but your shapeshifter friends will not have the red hued eyes of the possessed," Marcus pointed out.

Bella shrugged. "Coloured contacts. They're everywhere these days."

"Interesting," Marcus agreed. "But what of the freed shapeshifters?"

Aro smiled. "She intends to have them attack Victoria's army from behind. Devious indeed - they will be quite thrown off."

"But what makes you think that those _mutts_ will help _us_?" Caius eyed Seth with complete disdain. Rudeness was imprinted in his DNA, but he still had a good point. Shapeshifters and vampires had shared a deep-seated hatred for each other for generations.

Seth glared at him.

"You're really making us reconsider our decision," Seth groaned. "Seriously Bella, is there really no other way? Must we fight with these _snobbish bloodsuckers_?"

Caius arose from his throne in anger and pointed straight at Seth. "Guards – "

" _Brother Caius!_ " Aro exclaimed. "Let us not be rash. I want to hear them out."

"They killed the Cullens," Seth seethed. "They imprisoned _us_ , tried to turn us into mindless weapons. Why wouldn't we fight? The Quileute wolves are not cowards."

"And there is something else," Bella spoke up. Seth and Demetri both looked at her. She had not discussed this with them. She thought about how to phrase this. "If they fight for you," She began slowly. "You must free them all when the battle is over. And… You will free Seth now. He will not be a prisoner here." She wouldn't put this above the Volturi.

What surfaced was a rapid discussion in Italian. Bella figured that they had done this on purpose. All three Generals could speak perfect English, and she had realized that they preferred English to Italian as a medium of communication. They still spoke Italian to the locals who served them, and certain members of the Guard, like Santiago, whose English vocabulary was rather limited.

Finally, Caius, unhappy with the decision, slammed his fist against his armrest. He turned to Aro and yelled, " _Incredibile!_ You would let these werewolves roam free? After all the havoc and misery they have caused?"

"Are you actually stupid?" Seth snapped at him.

"They are not children of the moon," Marcus corrected, before Caius could overreact again. "They are shapeshifters. They live peaceful lives away from the Vampires."

Caius growled. "Either way, we do not need _mutts_ to fight our battles. It reflects poorly on the Volturi."

"Okay," Seth turned to Bella, clearly annoyed. "He _is_ actually stupid."

Caius looked like he wanted to behead Seth on the spot.

"Brother Caius," Aro explained patiently. "We are outnumbered almost 2 to 1. These shifters offer us an unparalleled advantage of both surprise and strength." He paused then directed his words back to Bella. "Tell me now, my dear Bella, if I free all the Quilete wolves – your friend here included, how do I know you will not betray us on the battlefield? We cannot keep track of you: Chelsea cannot bind you; I have no access to your thoughts. Surely, you can understand my anxiety?"

"But what if you did? What if you had access to my thoughts?" Bella asked.

"Then I would agree," Aro said slyly. "With knowledge, comes assurance. But alas, I do not."

"Is that a promise I hear?"

A confident smirk. "It is indeed, lovely Bella."

A long pause.

"Since you _promised_ ," She emphasized. "Then let me show you."

Retracting her inner shield, she walked up to Aro and touched his hand.

~.~

 **HELLO GUYS! Thanks for all your reviews, follows and favourites! They are really encouraging!**

 **Man, kind of sucks because school is starting, but I will HOPEFULLY try and update regularly. ANYWAY, ENJOY!**

 **DISCLAIMER: None of these characters are mine. They belong to Stephenie Meyer, although I wish Felix and Demetri are mine wahahah. Also, I copied the term 'warg' from Game of Thrones because I really can't think of another term for that kind of power. I am just not very creative hahah.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks for the follows, favourites and reviews :). And to reply 1avidfan's question, yes the romance will be between Bella and Demetri! And what is HEA?**

 **~.~**

 **Chapter 4**

She stared at the checklist of dangerous vampires that Seth had made. A black quill in hand, she drew a small cross beside Joel's name.

The warg was to be eliminated by Demetri.

She slid the tip of the quill down to the second name. Amelia – waist-length auburn hair, a heart-shaped face, full lips and approximately five and a half feet tall. She should be easy to spot. Amelia apparently had the power to paralyse. According to Jacob, her powers functioned like an electrical circuit. Contact was required between Amelia and her victims in order for the effect to set in. If the victims happened to be in contact with one another, Amelia could paralyse them _all_ with a single touch. The effect would fade when the contact ended.

Bella sighed. She was _nasty_.

The third one had no name yet. According to his description, the unknown vampire had dark hair, an aquiline nose, and thin lips. He would be difficult to spot. Apparently, Leah had fallen victim to his frighteningly realistic illusions. Victims of this vampire were awarded front-row seats to the HD screening of their deepest, darkest nightmares, making him an unusually difficult opponent to face.

Bella thanked the heavens for her mental shield. The last thing she wanted was to witness Edward's death a second time.

The fourth one was an Asian male vampire who could manipulate weather elements. The shifters didn't know much about this one either, having only caught a glimpse of him once. Would her shield be any use against such a gift?

The fifth vampire went by the name Aaron. Embry had overheard a conversation regarding his abilities. It had to do with reflections, but this in itself was too ambiguous to work with.

"It'll be great if you can just, you know, hunt them all down," Bella groaned, tapping her quill against the marble table. "They're all quite OP."

Demetri was in deep concentration, his eyes frozen on the world map right before him. He was probably running through the battle strategy he'd planned out with the Generals a while ago. He looked sharp today, irresistible even, in his dark suit. She could almost picture him as a dashing Hella highborn, sipping tea elegantly in a Byzantine-style ballroom (probably surrounded by coquettish noble girls vying for his attention).

"Hello," Bella snapped her fingers in front of his still face. "Did you even hear me?"

"I did," Demetri replied. "But am I supposed to know what this ' _OP_ ' is?"

Seth laughed. Anything that came out of Demetri's mouth sounded classy, even some thrash gaming term like OP. Like the rest of the Volturi, he spoke in a sophisticated manner - his enunciation faultless, his cadence measured. The Volturi had refused to adopt the lazy speech habits of the millennials, preferring to cling to 19th-century verbal expressions.

To Bella's amusement and Demetri's displeasure, Seth began imitating Demetri's careful elocution. It was a rather disastrous attempt. When Bella laughed, Seth grinned and returned to his lazy millennial speech. "OP means overpowered, like a gaming term. But you're Demetri, aren't you? Aren't you supposed to be OP too?"

Bella's brows knitted into a frown. "You know of Demetri too?"

Seth rolled his eyes. "Duh, who doesn't?" Wiggling closer to Demetri, he added in a gossipy way, "Heard that you single-handedly took down eight vampires at once."

Demetri glanced at him incredulously. "The most I have ever engaged is _six_ at once."

That was news to Bella. "Are you better than Felix?" She wanted to know. Was that even possible?

Her question was buried by Seth's sudden outburst. "Man, six?" He practically yelled. "Bloodsuckers are – "

At Bella and Demetri's identical unamused expressions, he quickly corrected himself. "I mean, you guys are hella difficult to kill. So… I guess that's what earned you your reputation." He dug his pants pockets for his mobile phone. "Jacob is going to kill me for this, buuuuut can we take a selfie?"

Demetri looked like he wanted to be anywhere but taking a selfie with an ultra-hyper fourteen-year-old shapeshifter who smelt like wet dog. He probably regretted letting Seth live. Even if it was for the information.

"May I… politely decline?" Seth's eyes transitioned from pleading to straight-out downcast. Sighing, Demetri unclenched his hand and held it out to receive Seth's phone. "For the record," Demetri bit out. "I do not quite comprehend your request."

"I think you're cool," Seth shrugged, his tone matter-of-fact. "I know, you're a vampire. I'm supposed to hate you. But how many people can actually say that they've met the renowned Volturi Assassin? If I show them this picture, they'll be like "oooh"."

Bella glared at Seth, feeling slightly jealous. She had saved him, and now he suddenly liked Demetri more? Would he be such a fanboy if he knew the depth of Demetri's manipulations; that Demetri had initially imprisoned him to torment and control _her_?

"Shit," Seth said after fumbling with his pockets for moment. "I think it must've fallen off me when I shifted into a wolf." He shot Bella an imploring gaze. "Bella, do you happen to have a phone that I can borrow?"

She did not. She hadn't bothered to replace her phone in the aftermath of Victoria's battle because she'd had literally no one to contact anymore.

"Nope," She said smugly. "I guess you can't take your selfie then."

She couldn't help herself. Demetri really brought out the worst in her, whether it be hatred or jealousy.

Demetri's eyes sparkled with the promise of a challenge. To her bewilderment, he pulled out a sleek black IPhone 7 from his trousers pocket. She gawked at the realization that his phone was a model up from hers. Hers had been an IPhone 6!

"On the contrary," He announced, casting devilish smile in her direction. "We _can_ take that selfie."

"You have… an IPhone 7?" Bella's questioned in disbelief. She rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was seeing it right.

Amusement flashed across Demetri's face. "Do you expect us to be troglodytes just because we are centuries old? We live in the present, not the past. You will find that the wifi here is inordinately fast."

It was hard to believe they lived in the present when they literally lived in an anachronistic mansion fashioned after Imperial Rome.

"But who do _you_ even text?" She wondered aloud. "Caius? He must be a _great_ texting buddy."

She almost chortled at the absurd thought of Caius texting _anyone_.

Demetri raised an eyebrow, clearly unappreciative of her sarcasm. "You are not wrong. I text Felix, Aro, Jane and occasionally Heidi. It is easier to communicate this way. We have a Volturi group chat too."

"A Volturi group chat?" Bella exclaimed. The Vampire Mafia actually had a group chat? "Do you guys talk about who to kill on it? Or is more for collating meal orders?"

Initially, he seemed positively exasperated at her histrionics, but he got over it quickly, irritation phasing into something more predacious in nature.

Before he could reply, Seth interrupted him. "Guys!" Seth prompted impatiently. "Are we going to take that selfie?"

Demetri switched the home-screen to camera mode, jumping slightly when he saw himself on the camera's screen. Bella giggled as he held the phone up hesitantly. Though he was an expert at texting, he sure did _not_ know how to take a selfie.

She snatched the phone from his grip. "This is a bad angle." She postulated. "Come, let me hold it."

He had been holding the phone at double-chin-angle, and although it was virtually impossible to have a double chin as a vampire, it was an instinct of hers to hold the camera slightly higher, its lenses tilted downwards. She smiled at the result. They looked gorgeous.

"Is this a ploy to include yourself in _our_ photo?" Demetri ribbed.

Bella's smile evaporated like alcohol in the wind. She gave him the evil-eye. Before she could argue that it was her that'd made the photo infinitely better (literally and metaphorically), Seth beat her to it.

"I want her in it too," He insisted, before tapping her shoulder incessantly. "Okay, you can take one, Bella! 1, 2, 3… Cheese!"

She pressed the button on Seth's cue, before flipping back to inspect the photo. As usual, she looked beautiful, otherworldly even; easily a model off _Vogue's_ cover page. She moved on to Seth; he looked like a jubilant little boy, his arms wrapped tightly around her. Demetri, on the other hand, had not smiled, but as she'd expected, his angular features made for stunning photography. Despite the terrible lighting, the shadows that spilled over his face further emphasized his high cheekbones and chiseled jawline. It was a pity that he barely took pictures.

"Thanks!" Seth grinned like a kid when he received the IPhone from Bella. He inspected the selfie like how a child would inspect a new toy. Seemingly content with it, he handed it back to Demetri. "Send this to me when I get a new phone, please!" He instructed, before again directing a pressing question on his mind to Demetri.

"So… like Bella said, since you're so OP, can't you just wipe out all these OP vampires?"

Demetri raised an eyebrow. He was clearly of Greek descent, but English was still his second language, and Seth had essentially butchered it with his uncultured abbreviations and glaring lack of diction.

"Well, I am no match for an army," He explained; his eloquent, euphonious explanation a stark contrast to Seth's graceless short forms. "Since – according to your packmates, most of these vampires barely stray from the encampment, I cannot hunt them down without alerting an entire army."

Seth nodded. "Oh yeah, they'll probably smell us from miles away. Good thing Joel travels far out for his animals. Can't wait to kill him."

"Demetri is going to kill him," Bella corrected him. "You, on the other hand, will stay _very_ far away from Joel. What if he possesses you again?"

 _Demetri will have no qualms killing you._

Seth shook his head stubbornly. "He can only possess me when he is in contact with me. And when he is in contact with me, I will _kill_ him."

"You will stay _far_ away from him!"

"I will _not_ stand by idly!"

"You _will_! There are other battles you can partake in, but not this one!"

"What if I asked you to stay away from Victoria?" Seth exclaimed exasperatedly, eyes blazing with defiance. "Joel's possession killed a brother of mine! Your revenge and my revenge are the _same_! Can't you understand me?"

With that, he left the room abruptly, leaving her with no time to rebut that.

She could, she wanted to reply. She could understand him more than well.

But after losing so many loved ones, she only wanted him to be safe.

Couldn't _he_ understand that?

~.~

As Felix had instructed, Bella tailed a rapidly flitting Guard with her shield as she sparred with Santiago. She was getting better at multi-tasking – something she had struggled with in the beginning.

It was starting to feel almost natural.

She blocked Santiago's blow with practiced ease, before returning one of her own. Unfortunately, he caught her arm and she winced as he tossed her over his head like a sack of potatoes. He was strong, Bella noted, but not as strong as Felix. Felix's strength was rather imposing, and Bella often depended on her speed to bypass his blows. To meet them would be suicide. Both, however, had an aggressive style of combat, a stark contrast to Demetri's poised, graceful movements. She had once observed him sparring with Felix. He had moved like a lioness stalking its prey; his manoeuvres self-assured, fluid, unpredictable, his limbs coiled like a spring with suppressed aggression. It had been alluring to watch him dance his prey to his death.

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. There was no time to think of _him_ now. Refusing to let go of Santiago's arm, she kicked the ground, using the momentum to flip herself over him again. The element of surprise on her side, she wheeled her body downwards, slamming both her feet into his abdominal area, sending him barrelling backwards. Her landing was not as graceful as she had anticipated, but she managed to recover quickly.

So did Santiago.

These Volturi Guards were like machines. _Killing machines_.

He was up in a millisecond and flying at her in the next. She dodged him deftly, before ducking to avoid another blow of his. She was on the defensive, _again_. It was becoming a norm when she sparred with the Guards.

Santiago's next blow hit his mark, the immense impact sending her sprawling on the marble floor. She rolled over before he could finish her with a kick, and this pattern continued until she found an opening – an opening to trip him. He stumbled backwards, and she used this moment to recover, jumping to her feet, arms facing forward – just in time to block his next blow.

When it came to brute force, he was unrivaled by all except Felix. She could not hold her own against his blows. Was there no other way?

She ducked and rolled aside, just in time to avoid an overhead punch. The momentum of his punch propelled him forward like a bullet, but he recovered quickly, snapping his body around to face her again.

He recovered quickly.

But slower than before.

He was slowing down. He was _tiring_. He was muscular in physique and his stamina was not as great as hers.

 _She would outlast him._

She ran rings around him, dodging; feinting; refusing to meet him head on. Santiago's attacks grew more aggressive; more reckless; more thoughtless as the battle stretched on. He was impatient – she could see it in his eyes. He wanted to this to end quickly. In his eyes, she was a weak newborn.

This was taking longer than he had expected.

And this thought was making him careless.

She finally struck. She jumped, grasping the statue's marble arrow shaft like a lifeline. She kicked Santiago in the face, and he stumbled backwards, dazed, before recovering once more and flitting towards her at maximum speed. She smiled. _Bait, meet target_. She swung her body forward – over him, before landing soundlessly _behind_ him.

Immediately, she turned and flew at him. His back still faced her. _Don't turn, don't turn, don't turn…_

He didn't turn. At least, not in time. _Too slow._

Utilizing the momentum from her run, she kicked his back, and this sent him sprawling face first on the concrete floor. The Calacatta marble floor splintered beneath his weight, severing the gold-grey veins that meandered through its body.

She mounted her victim's fallen form, hands curled tightly around his neck like a chain. Adrenalin surged through her veins. Was this how it felt like to be powerful? To hold a person's life in the palms of her hands? His soul throbbed for mercy beneath her touch.

 _She had won._

Her first victory.

And it was disturbingly satisfying.

A slow clap resounded from above. Bella looked up, only to be greeted by two dark silhouettes scrutinizing her from the balustrade above.

Felix and Demetri.

Felix stilled mid-clap. "So I lost the bet," He admitted, his expression rueful. "Who would have guessed?"

"You made a bet on _this battle_?" Bella frowned. Her tone developed a more accusing edge. "You betted against me?"

"Yes," He said sheepishly, side-glancing Demetri. "Frankly speaking, your odds were close to zero. Do not take it personally – Santiago is _literally_ twice your size, after all."

She studied her victim's hulking, thickset physique and the circlets muscles that bunched up around his biceps as he struggled to stand. Comparing this to her petite maiden frame; her lack of experience and… who would bet on her?

Demetri stared at her for the longest time, and Bella chanced upon an unidentified emotion she could not quite put her finger on. Did he think her weak too?

He had told her to _'shed her weakness',_ so clearly, he did as well.

Finally, Demetri turned away, and smiled. It was beguiling, and Bella found it difficult to look away.

"As discussed, your lunch is forfeit," He simply told Felix. "That fleshy American tourist you received from Heidi today – he is _mine_."

She was stunned into silence.

Despite the odds, Demetri had betted _on_ her.

~.~

The Big Ben's famous striking clock struck twice, its sleepy gongs reverberating through the streets of London, signalling the beginning of a new hour. Besides the street urchins that stirred every now and then in their sleep, the city had seemingly been lulled into an eternal slumber.

Shadowy silhouettes appeared to pour from the night sky like soot, striking the brick-paved streets soundlessly. They darted across the deserted ally with feline subtlety, swiftly surrounding two figures – one hunched over the other – in a clearly executed formation. Their hoods fell from their faces, revealing a circle of menacing red-eyes glowing in the inky darkness.

One of the two figures stood, and Bella noticed that he donned a leather jacket and ripped jeans. He looked like a typical college student – handsome even, if not for his striking scarlet eyes that currently swiveled around in alarm. He seemed familiar, and it took Bella a moment to realize why.

He was one of Victoria's henchman. One of her favourites. But she could not remember his name.

"You must know who we are," Aro whispered, his voice dark and foreboding. His lips curled into an eerie smile. "You must know that it is over."

Victoria's henchman took a halting step backwards, before lunging at Aro without warning. He stalled midway, his body appearing to go into a state of septic shock as he crumbled to the ground. Inky, serpentine veins strained underneath the epidermis of his neck, threatening to burst free. A dense mist wreathed the inner circle, it's black tendrils devouring the victim, numbing his senses, rendering him incapable of escaping. Felix broke the circle and slammed the much-smaller victim against the red-brick-wall, holding him captive as Aro bent down and grasped his hand.

Aro's eyes sparkled with understanding. He unclasped his hand from the victim's.

"Riley Biers," Aro cooed. "Victoria's little army recruiter. He selects and gathers potential humans for her newborn army. In fact, we have been lucky to catch him in the act itself."

All vampires turned to the second figure who Demetri had incapacitated. The adolescent girl appeared to be unconscious, the mouth-watering scent of blood wafting off her and ambushing Bella's senses. Bella bit her lip, fighting to establish control over her limbs. This girl was still human but judging from the multiple bite-marks that decorated her jugular and upper body, Bella guessed that it would not be long before the change occurred.

"Bring her over, my dear," Aro said. Demetri did as he was told, carrying the girl's petite body to Riley's side.

Aro placed a hand underneath her delicate chin. He angled her chin upwards, tsking at the blood that dribbled out of the poorly made incisions.

"A poor little street urchin that Riley found, feasting on thrash behind a restaurant," He murmured. "A human whose disappearance will attract little notice - a _perfect candidate for Victoria's army_." Sighing dramatically, Aro pressed a spindly, pale finger against her open jugular wound. More blood gushed out like a tiny waterfall. " _Pity_. His botched attempt to change her though… will leave her dead within a few hours."

He gradually increased the pressure of his thumb against her exposed neck, eventually snapping it like a twig.

Aro stood, his hands clasped together in delight, turning to face Demetri. "My dear Demetri, you sought out Riley's essence through the shifter's mind," He said smoothly. "Riley has changed three more in this city alone, and he intended to return to them before our unsuspecting arrival. Unlike this girl, they _may_ live. With no masters to control them, these newborns will run amok and inspire suspicion in all who lay eyes upon them. Seek them out through Riley's mind, and hunt them down –

 _Kill them all on sight_."

Demetri inclined his head in crisp acknowledgement. Irradiated by the eerie glow of a nearby street lamp, he bore an uncanny resemblance to a grim reaper.

Aro raised a single hand as he strolled from the scene, and a grisly ripping sound echoed in the silent night.

~.~

The wives of the Volturi leaders were nowhere in sight, and so were the lower ranking members of the Guard. Bella presumed that this was a meeting between the Volturi leaders, which made her feel extremely out of place. She did not even don the darker shade cloaks of the elite, or a dark cloak for that matter.

She was only here courtesy of her potent shield. That, and perhaps because she had been the one to suggest the skeletal strategy which they were currently working on.

This meeting was particularly boring. It felt like an ordinary day of lessons, and Bella had never been an attentive student.

She certainly wasn't attentive now. She had spent the last hour casting her dome-shaped shield over the leaders, mulling over her newfound ability to _feel_ their presence around her without having to look. It was intriguing – certainly more intriguing than their discussion.

All she had gathered from their two-hour discussion was that: the Volturi intended to secure more alliances, Jane was to identify and incarcerate the 'dangerous vampires' on sight, and Felix and Santiago were to take them out simultaneously. Aro had also shared snippets of Victoria's plan (that he'd viewed in Riley's mind). Victoria hadn't divulged many secrets to Riley, but they had managed to confirm the Quileute wolves' intended involvement and had also learnt that Victoria's battle plan was hinged upon bringing Bella down _first_ , thus dismantling the Volturi's impenetrable mental shield, allowing her gifted newborns leeway to debilitate them.

Marcus had insisted that Demetri was to protect her at all times. She was to be guarded, like a valuable asset, at all costs.

Her shield had made her a _wanted_ vampire. She wouldn't be surprised if Victoria had put a bounty on her head.

~.~

Even with her eyes shut, she could distinguish each and every individual scent of the vampires in the clearing; discern their differing footfall patterns as they sparred; taste the dewy petrichor on her lips. She opened her eyes, drinking in the courtyard of spectacular opulence. An archaic fountain stood in the center of an enclosed garden bursting with lush greenery and flora. Carrara marble tiles encircled the the garden, providing for a spacious training ground.

Just another attestation to the Volturi's extravagant lives.

A russet-coloured Mexican wolf the size of a car ambled halfway down the pristine white staircase, plopping its huge head on her lap. It turned its snout to the side, sensitive nose twitching, and if wolves could look guilty, Seth certainly did.

Bella smiled. It was Seth's way of apologizing to her. He'd probably felt bad walking out on her mid-conversation.

She ruffled his soft fur. "Aw c'mon, it's my fault too," Bella sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't try and put myself in your shoes."

Seth made a gentle scuffling sound with his oversized paws. He was telling her that it was okay.

She expanded her shield to include Seth, basking in his _presence_ as her hands smoothed his coat affectionately. _I will always protect you_ , she promised in her mind. _Victoria will not take you, or any of my friends away from me, ever again._

"Well, well, well," Felix's voice echoed behind her. "Could it be, that physical combat has seduced you, like it has me? Even after your training hours, you sit facing the courtyard watching the Guards train."

She twisted back, smiling when she saw Felix. Felix was a friendly face that she was happy to see – and this was not a common occurrence amongst the Guard.

"I need to get better, Felix," She explained. "And it helps to observe others sparring."

"Well at this rate," He joked. "Should I expect to have my ass handed to me in a week's time?"

"Even if I had centuries," Bella replied truthfully. "I still don't think that's possible." Felix was far better than Santiago. He was literally the vampiric hulk.

Felix winked. "Even if? Oh Bella, you _do_ have centuries now! So you _can_ do some planning: perhaps three centuries to beat me, and another three to beat Demetri."

"Demetri is better than you?" Bella asked in disbelief. She liked the idea of beating Demetri, but six centuries was far too long a wait.

Both vampires turned to appreciate Demetri's fluid movements, its grace and beauty further accentuated by the soft glow of the overhanging crescent moon. He was moving diamond, alluring, yet adamantine. He was currently busy with training a Guard named Afton, who didn't seem very skilled at all. If Afton had caught Aro's attention, Bella guessed that he must have had a very powerful gift.

"Well, Bella," Felix answered her question with another. "Have you seen a gladiator fight?"

"What does that have to do with my question?" Bella demanded. When Felix beckoned for her to reply, she scoffed. "No, of course not. I'm born in the 21st century."

Felix grinned cattily and pointed at Demetri's perfect form. "Well, now you have seen one."

It took a second for his response to register in her brain. Confusion blossomed in her cerebrum. _How was this possible?_

Her meagre history knowledge contradicted what Felix had just revealed to her. The last known gladiatorial fight had occurred around 400 AD, if Bella had remembered correctly. Demetri couldn't be _that_ old!

"So he's… more than 1000 years old?" Bella queried, her head rearing back in shock. That was crazy old; old enough to have watched empires flourish and fade, to have seen generations come and go. As an ageless constant in an incredibly dynamic world, he'd probably bore witness to gargantuan changes that'd shaped the world as it was today.

Most major world events were merely history to her, but to him, perhaps they were distant memories.

"Yes. He was born sometime in 100 AD. That makes him almost as old as the AD timeline."

"But... I always thought he was a highborn," Bella admitted, thoroughly shocked to the core. "I guess I was wrong. But still…" She observed his regal features and stiff, kingly stature from afar. "He has those noble airs about him. And his fighting style is so… dainty. How could a slave learn to fight in that manner?"

Felix smiled at her disbelief. "Who told you that an upper-class patrician could not fight as a gladiator? Your history teacher?"

Bella's eyes widened to the size of saucers. Why would a nobleman want to fight as a gladiator? Did he fight for honour and glory; a patrician eager to demonstrate his mighty warrior pedigree? Her grip on Seth's fur tightened. Was Seth hearing this? Perhaps he could add this to his endless list of gossips regarding Demetri.

Before she could bombard Felix with more questions, she was distracted by a commotion that had erupted in the courtyard.

She immediately caught on to the source of the commotion. An ordinary pigeon circled above them, eyes flashing a dangerous red.

It was the warg, Joel. He was here to spy.

Realizing that its cover had been blown, the pigeon attempted to flee in Bella's direction. But before Bella could take off after it, an ornate wrought-steel dagger buried itself into the pigeon's tiny body, sending it plummeting twenty-metres to the ground.

Its bloodied carcass beckoned Bella forward, and she moved closer to inspect the strange dagger. The intricate inscriptions that decorated its length were faded, but still slightly visible. It must have been a beautiful dagger in the past.

Her stomach rumbled – she was a little hungry. The smell of pigeon blood was overwhelming; venom pooled at her fangs.

Thoughtlessly, she lowered herself to take a bite out of the juicy pigeon.

"You would devour our sole evidence?" Demetri's smooth voice stopped her cold.

 _Right_. The pigeon. Joel. The dagger. She sighed. It had been weeks since she had been changed, but when the thirst took over, all she knew was blood and prey.

Santiago's massive shadow loomed overhead. She looked up, properly chagrined. The other vampires had gathered around her, and there was no doubt that they had witnessed her utter lack of control.

In a single callous stroke, Demetri retrieved his dagger from the dead pigeon. Blood and sinew coated its blade like a gory wrapper. Bella couldn't help but notice that the blade looked quite at home in his hands. Vampires never used weapons – their durable bodies shattered almost all kinds of weapons. And yet, here stood Demetri, an expert marksman with a dagger. Bella could imagine that he was equally familiar with swords, javelins and spears.

Felix had not lied. Demetri had been a skilled fighter in his lifetime and judging from his practiced ease whilst wielding the dagger, he'd been a good one at that. Perhaps he had been a gladiator, a patrician, or maybe even both, but one thing was certain: he had been a killer.

This was a man who had been as dangerous in his lifetime as he was in his death.

Said dangerous man turned to Santiago, who happened to be right beside him.

"Per favore, pulisci il pavimento," He requested in fluent Italian.

Santiago nodded. "Si," He agreed. His heavily accented English was difficult to follow. "It shall be done."

Demetri mirrored his nod, his expression dire. "And _I_ shall inform Aro immediately."

He was off and up the spiral stairs in a blink of an eye, his black cape billowing wildly behind him. Bella's eyes remained trained on him until he disappeared completely from her view.

There was so much about him that she did not know.

And it scared her that she wanted to know more.

Was she… drawn to a killer?


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: TQ guys for your follows, favourites and reviewsss!**

 **Chapter 5**

"I will _never_ submit," The male vampire snarled. "I would rather die than live out my days subservient to your rule."

A cruel smirk graced Aro's lips. "Alright," He agreed coldly. "Then die, you shall."

Demetri stalked forward, his stride measured and raptorial. The female vampire's eyes widened, filling with recognition and horror. He was the harbinger of death – he had brought the Volturi to their doorstep, and he was about to claim her beloved's life.

"恒盛! 你不要这样！" The female vampire cried out to her mate in Mandarin. She was hysterical, her hands tearing at his forearms, begging him to submit. "如果你死了，我该怎么办？丽婷怎么办？"

Clearly, all three were Chinese, and two of them mates. The last vampire was merely a girl, only a year or two younger than her. Right now, she looked like she was about the shit her pants.

When her mate continued staring ahead, his jaw locked with a fiery defiance, the female fell to her knees, desperately grasping at Demetri's charcoal boots. "He does not know what he is saying," She implored the Death God. "Please, spare him. We will join you."

Aro shook his head mock sadly. "We have shared a _six-century-old_ alliance, but yet your coven has blatantly refused the Volturi's recent call for help. Your defiance _mocks_ us. How can we remain sitting ducks in the face of such insolence?"

"Please," Her shrill was hysterical. "Please! We are in the wrong. We will do anything. Anything! Please, give us a second chance – Please!" She grabbed her mate and her friends hands frantically and shook them. "你们求求他们吧！快点！快求求他们！"

Her mate's reply was that of grim acceptance. "我死都不要。" Facing Aro once more, he spat at his feet before speaking, his voice brazen. "I have bowed to the Volturi for hundreds of years. I have done unspeakable things just to find favour in your eyes. But today, I will bow no longer."

"Then today shall be your last."

The lights in the shophouse flickered as tendrils of electricity cascaded out from the lamps, coursing into and through the veins of the Chinese male's forearm, effectively turning him into a perilous live wire. Jane attempted to incapacitate him, but the he was quicker, and Bella watched, mesmerized as a torrent of electrons brought the usually invincible vampire to her knees.

The Chinese male threw himself at Demetri, grabbing on to his suit's collar. Demetri reanimated in a nanosecond, flinging him backwards with the swipe of his forearm. The vampire attacked again, but this time, Demetri straightened out his suit with both hands, before catching his poorly-executed uppercut like a professional fielder and pitching him against the wall. Cracks materialized in the wall, lath and plaster crumbling inwards.

Demetri cocked his head to the side as if to say: C _ome at me_.

Bella fought the urge to roll her eyes. There was no doubt that the millennial slang, 'step', thoroughly described Demetri.

The vampire's eyes drifted to Demetri's sigil, and thinking better of it, he backed away instead, hands raised with the intention to cripple him.

The Guards turned to look at Bella accusingly, as if saying _Hello? Bella?_

"Oh right," Bella realized. That was her delayed cue to act. "I forgot."

She expanded her shield instantly, protecting Demetri and putting Jane out of her misery. Pity she hadn't let Jane suffer longer.

Jane glared at her before attacking him again, causing the male vampire's shoulders to shiver with unadulterated pain. Felix had hurled himself at him, and –

The female vampire pushed her mate aside, effectively blocking him from Felix's incoming assault.

Felix decapitated her with icy efficiency. Her head _rolled_ , leaking pitch black venom which seeped into the floorboards, bleaching its pale lemony hue to paper white.

This was a classic game of thrones execution scene, but in _real life_.

The girl screamed. Bella gasped.

Other members of the Guard turned to stare at her, before giving each other the ' _definitely a newbie_ ' look. Grisly beheadings were probably just part and parcel of the their daily lives, explaining their thorough desensitivity to such displays.

The male vampire directed his final words to his younger female counterpart. He spoke with gritted teeth, his words quartered by immense agony.

"你…要…好好…活着。我…爱你。"

Demetri was already hovering above him like a vulture, hands wrapped around his throat, but out of respect, he stilled, waiting for the vampire to utter his final words.

And then, with a single, effortless stroke, he snapped his neck.

The girl's screams intensified, and her body rattled like a leaf amid a thunderstorm.

"Calm down, my dear child," Chelsea whispered, and the girl's screams gave way to pitiful sobs. She pulled her knees in to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, her shoulders vibrating furiously with every heaved up sob. Vampires could not cry, but if it hurt enough, they could sob tearlessly for hours. Bella knew this best. She reminded Bella of herself – on the day she had lost everyone and everything to Victoria's wrath.

"This is her," Aro nodded. "The sixteen-year-old newborn of Brian's coven. She has an intriguing gift as well. She can transfer memories from one person to another."

Alec looked impressed. "You kept tabs on them?"

"I keep tabs on _everyone_ , my dear Alec. Or at least, Demetri does - in my stead."

Aro paused, taking in the aftermath of the slaughter, before releasing a weighty sigh, "It is a pity that we have lost such a _precious_ ally. I was torn in the face of his defiance, but punishment must always be meted out, regardless of the cost."

"And what of the girl?" Felix questioned.

"She poses no threat," Demetri affirmed. "I propose we bring her back. Alive. She will be of use to you."

Aro laughed gleefully. "I concur with that entirely. Renata, do escort our guest out. Afton, burn the bodies. We shall take our leave."

The vampires began flitting out of the dimly lit shophouse one-by-one, seemingly evaporating into thin air as their shadows blurred with the darkness. Bella waited until Afton, Renata and Demetri were left in the dinky little living room.

She wanted to speak to the keening girl. She had not killed her friends, but she had facilitated their deaths with her cursed shield. For the first time, Bella resented her shield. She imagined its cloying tentacles coiling itself around her like an invisible octopus.

 _Perhaps this gift was a curse._ Another weapon in Aro's arsenal.

Guilt slithered in her abdomen like a snake.

She started towards the girl but stopped in her tracks when Demetri motioned for them to leave.

"Leave us," He said curtly. "I will clean up this mess."

She began to follow Afton and Renata out, but something held her back at the entrance. Was she really going to leave this girl with the monster that had slain her friend?

Before she could demand otherwise, Demetri approached the girl and knelt down beside her. After a second's hesitation, he placed a firm but comforting hand on her shoulder. The girl stared at him, red eyes brimming with a mixture of surprise, hatred and fear, but she no longer racked with sobs. Bella frowned. Aro said that her gift lay in transferring memories to-and-fro. Was it possible that whatever she had seen in Demetri's mind had calmed her down?

"What is your name?" He asked gently. His voice was sincere; his touch was kind. Perhaps Bella was hallucinating. This was not the Demetri that had ruthlessly exterminated three newborns in the span of an hour.

"T-Tanya," She stuttered, giving her English name. Her teeth chattered as she trembled. The poor girl was scared shitless.

"Tanya," He said gingerly. He took her hand in his, and his lips skimmed her knuckles lightly. "Will you come with me?"

The girl shook her head ardently, her luxuriant black locks falling over her jittery eyes. "Y-You killed him," Her lower lip trembled as she spoke. "You – T-They k-killed my only family."

He seemed at a loss of what to do. Clearly, comforting little girls wasn't common in his line of work. He was probably used to killing them _before_ they cried.

Finally, and _very_ tentatively, he lifted a hand to cup her cheek.

"I am sorry that it ended this way," He whispered, almost sadly. "But I _promise_ that I will not let them hurt you. I will protect you. Can you be brave?"

Bella flitted out of the shophouse, leaving them alone. Confusion toyed with her mind.

Could both cruelty and kindness co-exist in the same person? Demetri seemed to embody them both. He was a living oxymoron.

He had let Jane torture Seth, but he had rescued him from execution. He had slain this girl's only family, but he had promised to protect her.

The more she knew Demetri, the more she realized that she hadn't known him at all.

~.~

As the sunlight gradually waned, the city lights began to gleam, casting an unearthly glow on the picturesque mountain city of Volterra. It was breath-taking, and as Bella admired the skyline, she imagined Edward beside her – as he would've been if he had lived; a steady arm around her, a warm smile on his lips. He would tell her that the city was beautiful, but not more than she was.

"No," She whispered, and in her mind, she saw herself. The vampire girl had grotesque blood-red eyes and a ghastly octopus shield which enveloped her like an evil aura.

Initially, she had convinced herself that with every piling body, she was a step closer to Victoria's death; that she would finally be free of the acrimony that clung to her like her shield, seemingly immortalized along with her undying body. But as the death toll climbed, she began to question the vast sacrifices this freedom entailed.

Had she sacrificed her humanity for this?

In her quest to kill a monster, had she become one herself?

"I am a _monster_."

"Are you?" Demetri's airy question announced his arrival. "If so, then what am I?"

She careened around, her stance primed for attack. He could not track her, and yet here he was, on the least likely place in the compound, the rooftop.

"Did you _follow_ me?" She accused.

He shrugged. "I saw a silhouette scale the moss-covered walls. Tracker instinct led me to you."

"So you _followed_ me?"

"I followed my instinct," He insisted. "It is not every day that a vampire scales our walls."

"Really?" Bella asked incredulously. "It is _very_ easy though."

He looked amused. It was a change from his usual impassivity. "We use staircases, Bella. We are not savages."

Something about the word 'savages' elicited awful memories from the night before. He had certainly been rather savage then.

"Not savages?" Bella reiterated spitefully. "Tell that to the coven that was murdered in cold-blood!"

He fell silent. She had not meant to be cruel. Felix had said he did not enjoy killing, and only did so out of necessity. But why did he seem so unaffected?

Had centuries of killing weathered at his conscience, leaving barely any left?

She shook the thought from her head. She did not want to think about this now. She did not want to think about the bodies of the deceased Chinese vampires. She did not want to think of the upcoming massacre of dozens of newborns that awaited her.

She did not really want to think at all.

They sat in silence for a long time, enjoying the cool breeze that tickled their faces. As the silence dragged on, it became slightly stifling.

"If you insist on being here," Bella suggested. "Can we talk about… happier things?"

Demetri raised an eyebrow. "Not to quibble over semantics, but I believe I was innocently pointing out that we used staircases, until you linked it to _murders_."

"Not before you mentioned ' _savages'_!"

They fell back into their same old bickering cycle. Bella shook her head, and tried to think of a new, _happier_ conversation topic. It was rather difficult, seeing how nothing about Demetri seemed happy.

"How was your family like?" She asked at last, dragging her words out cautiously. "Like when you were a human."

His face remained impassive, but she swore that his eyes had darkened considerably. Well, if even his human family was upsetting to him, she should probably give up on steering the conversation to happier topics.

"This 'happier' talk," He deflected, "Includes an interrogation of my past?"

"I literally asked a _single_ question," Bella rolled her eyes. "People do that you know; ask questions – to get to know one another better. And we call it a conversation, not an interrogation."

Demetri seemed to re-consider his answer a few times before he deemed it fit to be spoken aloud.

"My mother passed away whilst birthing me, and my father was a harsh man," He began, bitterness permeating his tone. When Bella nodded in encouragement, he continued. "He was a military governor of the Balkan peninsula, born in the purple because of my grandfather's distinguished military career."

"So... this is the Roman Empire you're referring to?"

"Yes," He agreed, pinning her with wary eyes as he contemplated her spot-on answer. "You are right. But of course you are - given how Felix has kindly dished out my personal life to _you_ on a platter."

Bella bit her lip. _Shit._ "It was an exceptionally lucky guess," She defended lamely. "I was about to say... Ottoman Empire. Or Spartan Empire. Just was casually guessing an empire, you know... I mean, you look _very..._ um _,_ Roman." When his withering glare intensified, she faltered, brandishing her opened palms mock surrender. "Okay, fine! He told me some stuff, but not much, I _promise!_ They were just passing comments. So please, continue your story."

Demetri raised an eyebrow, unconvinced by her babbled confession. He seemed to prefer keeping the narrative of his human life under lock and key.

What was he so desperate to hide?

Finally, his reasonable side kicked in and he nodded dourly. "Fair enough, I trust Felix's judgement," He stated at length. "I was raised in the acropolis of Athens, a Balkan state of the Eastern Roman Empire. From the moment I could walk, I was subjected to the harshest military training available. And by the age of 14, my swordsmanship was crafted to utter perfection, and I could shoot a bulls-eye from 80 yards away."

Demetri had warned her once that the world was a cruel place. She could finally understand why. This cruel world had not only left him mother-less, but had also robbed him of a happy childhood. She did not want to imagine the misery he'd suffered under the tutelage of his father.

Had a cruel world bred a cruel man?

This explained the origins of his combat prowess, but not the reason for his gladiatorial journey. Bella wondered if she could press him for more answers. He was literally a living, breathing, millennium-old history textbook, and Bella wanted to read all the pages of this book.

She glanced at him, hopeful eyes beseeching him to continue his story, but he had clammed up once again. Sighing, she decided to approach a more light-hearted topic.

"So you were a nobleman," She sieved out after much thought. "I totally _knew_ it."

Deeming this topic safe to broach, he crawled out of his shell cautiously. Raising a fine brow, he asked, "May I ask how?"

"You just look so _dapper_ all the time. I mean – "

A smirk graced his regal features. He was clearly flattered. "You think I look dapper?"

Bella considered her phrasing carefully before she spoke. She did not want to be too upfront with her compliments. "Well, you are quite _pleasant_ to look at – "

 _Gorgeous. The right word is drop-dead gorgeous._

Demetri's smile was wolfish. "Pleasant? How so?"

 _Like your entire goddamn face? And body? And everything?_

Instead, she kicked the treacherous thoughts from her mind and scowled. "You are _totally_ fishing for compliments."

She shook her head, disappointed at how slow she'd been. After centuries of women falling head over heels in love with him, of course he knew. He was merely trying to goad her into admitting his attractiveness.

She wouldn't be surprised if he were a notorious casanova back in ancient Athens.

As though reading her mind, a languid smile diffused across his handsome features. "Enough of me. Since this is a _conversation_ where people ask questions about each other, it is now my turn to ask one."

"Go on."

He cocked his head to the side. She steered herself for a difficult question.

Amusement danced across his face. This was _not_ a good sign.

"So… Which part of me is the most _pleasant_ to you?"

Bella's jaw dropped. He was one cocky vampire.

"Definitely _not_ your cocky personality," She snapped. "You are most pleasant when you are _silent_."

His growing amusement was beginning to annoy her. Did he view her as a form of entertainment? _Joy._ Meet Isabella Swan, agent of the Volturi, full-time shield and part-time jester.

" _Pity_. I was starting to think we were getting along," He said dismissively.

She simply glared daggers at him, letting him know that they sure as hell _weren't_ getting along.

He looked thoughtful for a moment, a rare smile on his face. Bella wondered what was on his devious mind. She did not have to wonder long, as he turned to her, saying, "Alright, your embarrassment is understandable. You are exempted. I shall ask another question."

"You are too kind." Bella intoned sardonically. " _And_ I believe you have already asked _three_ questions. _Wasteful_ questions I might add."

"I was not aware you were keeping count." He chaffed. "Do your conversations normally follow such a rigid structure? You disallow multiple questions and so-called 'wasteful' questions as well. How unbecoming."

Bella sighed in defeat. There was no depriving Demetri of anything. Even in a petty conversation like this, he seemed adamant on winning.

Demetri took her sigh as a sign to continue. Bella mentally armed herself with a dozen comebacks, anticipating another unreasonable question of his, and thus was thoroughly perplexed when he simply asked -

"Do you think me a monster?"

She blinked. She had certainly not expected _that_. Did he think himself a monster too?

"Yes," The answer slid out easily. "I do."

He did not look surprised or hurt. In fact, he looked as if he'd expected nothing less.

Leaning forward, he braced his hands against the concrete structure above her, until their noses were centimetres apart.

She could see the miniscule droplets of city light glistening against his flawless, porcelain skin; she was hyper-aware of his heady woody scent that ensnared her senses like blood; and his crimson irises framed by thick, luscious lashes – they stared right into her own, pulling her in like a magnet.

If she were human, her heart would've palpitated madly, and her breaths would've shortened, but she was not.

Thank God she was not.

"Do you hate me?" His voice was slow and clear. His words ghosted across her lips.

Their lips were nearly touching. She almost wanted them to touch.

"No," She whispered. "I do not."

Her answer surprised herself.

He was a monster, but she simply could not hate him.

~.~

At Demetri's prodding, Seth had volunteered to train with her. She had attempted to turn him down multiple times, but the stubborn boy had simply refused, having been charmed by his 'idol' Demetri who'd insisted that 'she needed more motivation'. She had finally agreed to sparring with Santiago whilst shielding Seth from Jane's ire.

Jane was still looking to pay her back for her casual abandonment during the recent confrontation and attacking Seth had seemed like a great way to do so. Thanks to Bella's skill, she hadn't been able to, and this seemed to pain her more than her gift ever could. Santiago on the other hand, no longer underestimated her, making him a _much_ more formidable opponent. Although Bella had lost to Santiago a few times, she'd still managed to ensure that her shield had never left Seth's side. Even with her eyes and thoughts averted from him, it pursued him like a shadow, underscoring the expansive power of her gift.

"Not so talkative these days?" Felix asked her after their dinner.

In the Volturi, Felix was the closest she'd had to a friend, but the evidence of his brutality – the unrepentant way he'd snapped the girl's neck – replayed itself in her mind over and over again like a broken tape recorder, keeping her from viewing him in the same light.

And yet, a small part of her knew that he'd only been following Aro's orders. Just like she'd been when she'd extended her shield to Jane.

Perhaps they were all pawns in Aro's Machiavellian game of chess.

She squirmed at the thought. "Not really," She lied. "Maybe it's the nerves. The battle with Victoria draws closer."

Felix nodded understandingly. "Our allies have all gathered. Seth and Demetri are to set off at dusk tomorrow. The rest of us are to leave shortly after."

"Allies? I thought we _killed_ them for refusing our call?"

"We called upon three of our allies," Felix explained patiently. "And two answered. The French coven and the Egyptian coven. The last one, well – we both witnessed the consequences of their disobedience."

"And they are here? Even as we speak?"

Felix side-eyed her suspiciously. "They reside in the left wing. They arrived an hour ago. Did you not catch a whiff of their foreign scents?"

She had not. She had snuck out of the compound to visit a hospital. She was becoming more adept at doing so as the Guards no longer paid much attention to her after three weeks. Somehow, performing euthanasia on Stage 4 cancer patients felt more justifiable than sucking the life out of a healthy young man with bright future ahead. Arranging lives in a hierarchical order based on their importance completely objectified humans, but its undeniable logicality helped in reigning in her immense guilt.

It had not offset much of that aforementioned guilt that had frequented her the past few days, but it had helped her stay sane.

Packing up her philosophical thoughts - vampirism called for lots of those - she attempted a shaky laugh.

"Not really," She admitted. "I suppose I was pre-occupied."

~.~

The throne room was particularly crowded today. Even Aro and Caius's wives were present, drifting docilely behind their mates like ghosts, indicating that today was a special occasion.

The French coven consisted of two members – a tall, dark-skinned male vampire with black cropped hair, and a snow-white female vampire whose built resembled that of a ballerina's. They stood, shoulder-to-shoulder, staring quietly ahead. Bella guessed that these two were mates.

The Egyptian coven was easier to recognize. They were clad in fashionable modern togas, complete with gladiator-styled sandals. All four members shared similar Middle-Eastern features, and if not for their matching red eyes, they seemed like a happy human family. Their expressions didn't exactly spell _happy_ , though, which was expected, since they'd probably been coerced here out of fear for their lives.

As Bella observed the Egyptian coven further, she began to notice that their male counterparts seemed to be on the look-out for a certain _someone_.

She never got to find out who though, as Aro had begun speaking. Marcus touched his right hand gently as he spoke.

"Welcome, my dear allies," Aro spread his hands out before the crowd dramatically, his voice beset with delight. "I would like to thank each and every one of you for making your way to Volterra." He paused, before naming them one by one, "Henri and Yvette from the French coven." Both vampires nodded respectfully. "And Amun, Kebi, Benjamin and Tia from the Egyptian coven. We officially welcome you." Both female vampires nodded in bleak acknowledgement, but identical looks of disdain marred the faces of their male counterparts.

"As you have been informed, an army of newborns threaten our very existence even as we commune. You will all be greatly rewarded for fighting alongside the Volturi."

The middle-aged Egyptian vampire – the one sporting a neatly trimmed goatee, spoke up. "We fight not for the Volturi," He stated coldly. "We fight because of Demetri."

"That is outright insolence!" Caius seethed, outraged. "We cannot allow that statement to go unpunished!"

Aro wrung his hands. "It matters not what they claim, Brother Caius. They heeded our call, and that says enough."

In any ordinary situation, Aro would've punished the offender for such a bold statement. Bella surmised that something was amiss: Aro was purposefully holding back. Was this Egyptian coven an extremely valuable ally?

"You stole my son from me," The same vampire hissed. "And even now as we pledge our alliance to you, you endeavour to hide him from my sight?"

"My father is right." The clean-shaven male, presumably Benjamin, agreed. "I want to see my brother first. Will you refuse us this right too?" He seemed high-spirited and confident; a refreshing personality in the vampiric realm.

Aro placed a hand on his chest, his tone mock-sad. "You accuse me of a wrong I did not do." A pause. "My dear Demetri," He finally acquiesced. "Do show yourself."

The tracker broke away from the mass of black-clad Guards, slowly threading his way to the centre of the throne room. All four Egyptian vampires stared at him for the longest time, until finally, Amun stepped forward tentatively.

Amun's expression was pained. He reached out a hand, before thinking better of it and letting it drop back to his side. "They turned you into a weapon – of course they did," He said softly. Demetri stared unblinkingly back at him, his face dispassionate. Amun shook his head and muttered, "I will never forgive you, Aro. You _bound_ him here against his will!"

Caius growled warningly at that accusation. It was a stark contrast to Aro's unnervingly calm smile.

Demetri's eyes flashed dangerously. Bella could not reconcile the emotions in them. He was ever so difficult to read. "Amun, _cease_ your false accusations." He said tersely. "I had a choice, and I chose the Volturi."

"Even now," Amun said sadly. "You no longer address me as Father."

Demetri's jaw clenched. It was an infinitesimal movement. He did not utter a word.

"Brother, you lie." Benjamin's voice rang distinct and true. Demetri turned at this. "We know that you are forcefully bound here by Chelsea," He said. A long pause ensued. "And us."

"That is a _bizarre_ assumption."

"Do you think us fools?" Benjamin started towards Demetri, gliding forward until the two men were eye-to-eye. Demetri met his gaze fearlessly. "The Volturi has left our coven alone for centuries – even when we overstepped their boundaries," Benjamin whispered. "And despite my gift, they have not come to collect me. The answer is crystal clear."

"Ah Benjamin," Demetri said frigidly, "I am afraid you overestimate your importance to me."

Hurt shattered Benjamin's confident façade. But still, the certainty did not fade from his eyes. "We can protect ourselves," He continued with false bravado. "We do not need your protection. We only need you to come home."

Demetri shook his head. "My home is here, Benjamin. Did it ever occur to you that I might enjoy wielding power and being feared? This is the life I have chosen."

Aro smiled viciously at that. "Do you hear that Amun? I believe your son prefers _our_ company."

Benjamin looked absolutely crushed, but Amun continued glaring at Aro, his eyes narrowed in absolute distrust. Amun took a menacing step forward, and Demetri descended upon him like a bolt of lightning – one hand curled around his throat, and another forcing his right arm backwards. The anguish that arose from the extreme angle brought Amun to his knees.

Benjamin hurtled forward to his father's aid. A few guards took off after him but were momentarily thrown off course by a gust of wind that hailed from no-where. Still holding on to Amun's arm, Demetri flipped himself nimbly to the other side, seizing Benjamin by the throat, and shoving him onto his knees right beside his father.

Aro beamed like a proud parent at his son's graduation ceremony. A smirk split across Caius's face.

"Do you believe me now?" Demetri's whisper was deadly. His grip tightened around their throats. There was a feral look in his eyes. "You will cease your false accusations and _proceed no further_."

When both parties failed to move, Demetri released them, allowing Felix to take over. He backed away silently, blending in once more with the remaining congregation of unmoving Guards. Still on their knees, Amun and Benjamin hung their heads, their resolves crushed by Demetri's cruel betrayal.

Bella continued watching Demetri curiously. His expression was blank, but on closer inspection, Bella identified a small crack in his veneer of detachment – minuscule to the point of insignificance, but yet, apparent upon realization.

He was hurting too.

She blinked out of habit and the crack was gone. He was once again a perfectly vacant husk.

She blinked again.

The mask remained in place.

Perhaps she had imagined the hurt.

After all, Demetri was not a man with weaknesses. He was not one to care. But then the memory of his words echoed in her mind.

 _I am sorry that it ended this way._

His voice had been sincere, his touch had been kind. He had genuinely regretted exterminating Tanya's coven.

Felix had confirmed this as well. He had said that Demetri did not enjoy killing. He was ruthless out of _necessity_. Bella had always assumed that this _necessity_ was for the Volturi's survival, but today, it dawned upon her that perhaps, she had been wrong. If Benjamin was truly right, the reason that Demetri acceded to Aro's every demand; the reason for his unyielding loyalty to the Volturi;

The reason – or reasons were standing – or kneeling right in front of her.

Demetri would act, scheme, track and murder, if it meant keeping Amun and Benjamin safe.

~.~

 **Translations**

 **"恒盛! 你不要这样！" - Bryan, don't do this!**

 **"如果你死了，我该怎么办？丽婷怎么办？" - If you die, then what about me? What about Tanya?**

 **"你们求求他们吧！快点！快求求他们！" - The both of you please beg! Hurry! Beg them for our lives!**

 **"我死都不要。 " - I would rather die.**

 **"你…要…好好…活着。我…爱你。" - You must live well. I love you.**


End file.
